Remember the 2025 ASEAN Summit? It’s the one that left Myanmar’s seat spectacularly empty
On Tuesday, the Southeast Asian regional bloc kicked off a virtual summit without Myanmar’s presence. The reason? Their top brass, Min Aung Hlaing, got the “no‑show” badge after a vacuum of compliance with a joint peace plan.
Brunei’s Diplomatic Snafu
- Brunei, the chair of ASEAN for the year, promised a “non‑political” envoy from Myanmar.
No one saw it. - Myanmar’s junta replied: “We’ll only send you the head of state or a minister. Otherwise, no guy can sit at the table.”
- The result – a rock‑solid empty chair for Myanmar.
Why it Matters
- Durward? The military seized power on February 1, scrubbing democracy and arresting a shelfful of opposition leaders including the revered Aung San Suu Kyi.
- Casualty Edge‑Card: Over 1,000 lives lost, thousands more imprisoned — but Myanmar insists the count is inflated.
- In 2025, the junta fumbles through a peace agreement and then plays hard‑to‑catch.
The Summit’s Face‑Lift
During the opening day, ASEAN loomed over three separate “talk‑outs” with the U.S., China, and South Korea. While the usual players — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam — were primed to engage, the American, Chinese, and Korean delegations got a full‑on briefing about ASEAN’s fresh, daring stance.
What ASEAN’s Spike Had:
- Inaction and 0 results on end‑hostilities.
- Hard‑clocked lack of dialogue due to Myanmar’s refusal to engage.
- Humanitarian aid? They had no leaflet on the table.
- Special envoy? Appointed, but denied full freedom.
A Modern “National Unity” Situation
- Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) is the coalition of democratic forces and ethnic minority units upset with the coup.
- “They’re not given a seat in the game, but that doesn’t mean they’re invisible,” says Michael Vatikiotis, Asia Director of the Geneva‑based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.
- Vatikiotis wonders if regional leaders will extend an official handshake with the NUG, following clues from the U.S. and EU’s approach.
A Call for Genuine Dialogue
With the U.S. president streaming live from Washington, a hopeful tone lingers: “If only a meaningful conversation can be restored,” he ready‑to‑deliver said. The question remains whether ASEAN, as a historically non‑interference group, will weigh the NUG’s reality and engage as a partner, rather than just a point of gossip.
In short: The 2025 summit was a bold statement by ASEAN that has bitten the leaf from the book of “non‑involvement.” Time to watch the next chapter unfold.
