terranMarine
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When it comes to sovereignty, there is no ASEAN unity. ASEAN does/cannot touch sovereignty issues. Besides, inside ASEAN, the Philippines probably blew up more Vietnam fishing boats in their claimed waters than Chinese boats.
So, in SCS, everybody is against everybody and China has been promoting a peaceful regional existence in which the US is kept in check. The message, although slowly, is getting through the leadership of several countries, including the Philippines, Malaysia, and now, as @samsara shared, Indonesia.
Vietnam is lonelier than it was in 2016. That's probably why the VCP is much more cautious and China does not want to give them a bad face at the moment.
That's why whoever claims to be the leader of ASEAN is only humiliating himself. What leader?
Duterte got the message, US isn't generous or any trustworthy. The Yankees abandoned them, not willing to foot the $30 million bill, only want to use PH for its own agenda. Najib's a$$ was saved by China. Indonesia acted like some tough motha fucka (so called leader) and now toned down it's voice. Which leaves us to Vietnam (another so called leader) who is so disappointed that the tension had died down so he's now trying to suck up to the BIG BOSS of ASIA (now that's a title that has true meaning).