In today’s preliminary meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the various member countries opened discussion on the highly pressing topic of emergency response after natural disasters. As pointed out by the delegation of the People’s Republic of China, 40% of the world’s natural disasters occur in Southeast Asia. Australia also stated that 91% of deaths and 41% of economic damages caused by natural disasters occur in this region. Both of these contributions helped in adding more precedence to this issue, as well as creating movement forward in the debate.
After raising the idea of creating a central ASEAN relief fund, many countries combatted with the issues of whether funding could be provided by poorer nations, many of which have high levels of corruption in their governing bodies. Many found that nations lacking infrastructure are more vulnerable in natural disasters, and the delegation of Japan suggested the idea of a ASEAN infrastructure team, who would help in assessing other nations’ infrastructure, and help by auditing and helping to implement new infrastructure plans. However, the Chinese delegation was able to bring stability and leadership to the discussion by proposing ideas that resolved issues and were opposed by few. While countries such as the Philippines noted that resolutions to this issue of disaster preparedness are available at the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Centre), China brought up the fact that this centre is merely a home for aid tools, and is not regulated like an average government organization. In an interview with the Chinese delegation, Xinhua learned of the Chinese delegation’s plans for this new centre. As the Chinese Delegation members divulged, they see the new centre as a regulated, non-corrupt council, which could possibly merge with the existing AHA Centre and its aid tools. They also saw the council being governed similarly to the United Nations Security Council, in which leadership is shifted over time between all partaking nations. China’s leadership at this Association meeting is most certainly creating a smooth pathway to cooperation between Southeast Asian nations.
After raising the idea of creating a central ASEAN relief fund, many countries combatted with the issues of whether funding could be provided by poorer nations, many of which have high levels of corruption in their governing bodies. Many found that nations lacking infrastructure are more vulnerable in natural disasters, and the delegation of Japan suggested the idea of a ASEAN infrastructure team, who would help in assessing other nations’ infrastructure, and help by auditing and helping to implement new infrastructure plans. However, the Chinese delegation was able to bring stability and leadership to the discussion by proposing ideas that resolved issues and were opposed by few. While countries such as the Philippines noted that resolutions to this issue of disaster preparedness are available at the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Centre), China brought up the fact that this centre is merely a home for aid tools, and is not regulated like an average government organization. In an interview with the Chinese delegation, Xinhua learned of the Chinese delegation’s plans for this new centre. As the Chinese Delegation members divulged, they see the new centre as a regulated, non-corrupt council, which could possibly merge with the existing AHA Centre and its aid tools. They also saw the council being governed similarly to the United Nations Security Council, in which leadership is shifted over time between all partaking nations. China’s leadership at this Association meeting is most certainly creating a smooth pathway to cooperation between Southeast Asian nations.