ASEAN’s ZOPFAN Vision Revived With China, Russia Backing SEANWFZ
By Samantha Tan
KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 (Bernama) -- ASEAN’s long-standing aspiration for a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN) has gained new traction following China and Russia’s readiness to sign the Protocol to the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ).
International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Department of Political Science and Madani Studies lecturer Prof Dr Zainal Abidin Sanusi said the renewed momentum reflects ASEAN’s commitment to advancing the ZOPFAN vision by balancing security, sustainability, and inclusive growth for future generations.
He said China and Russia’s readiness to come on board shows that ZOPFAN is not just historical rhetoric but an evolving framework that remains deeply relevant in today’s strategic landscape.
"This move directly reinforces ZOPFAN, reducing the risk of nuclear escalation in a region increasingly exposed to great-power rivalry, especially in the South China Sea," he told Bernama ahead of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and related meetings here Tuesday.
ZOPFAN, signed on November 27, 1971 by ASEAN member states in Kuala Lumpur, aimed to keep the Southeast Asian region free from interference by external powers, reinforcing ASEAN’s commitment to regional neutrality and autonomy during the Cold War.
Zainal Abidin said the development could boost the international credibility of the SEANWFZ Protocol and intensify diplomatic pressure on other Nuclear Weapon States (NWS), notably the United States, United Kingdom and France, to reconsider their reservations and re-engage with the treaty.
"Malaysia’s neutral and principled foreign policy gives it the credibility to act as a trusted bridge-builder in such complex negotiations," he said, adding that the development also reflects a broader shift in ASEAN’s diplomatic posture.
"This marks a key moment in what some are calling 'sustainability diplomacy', a redefined approach to peace and security that centres on long-term cooperation in environmental protection, green growth, and inclusive development, beyond just military or geopolitical strategies," he said.
Zainal Abidin said that despite Southeast Asia’s nuclear-weapon-free status, ASEAN remains vulnerable to nuclear-capable deployments by external powers.
"ASEAN leaders believe that securing universal NWS adherence is now more urgent than ever to protect ZOPFAN’s spirit and safeguard Southeast Asia’s stability and prosperity," he said.
He said ASEAN’s commitment to a nuclear-weapon-free Southeast Asia has not only strengthened regional security but also supported sustainable economic growth, demonstrating how disarmament can be part of a broader sustainability diplomacy strategy.
Zainal Abidin suggested that ASEAN propose the establishment of a regional compliance and monitoring mechanism in partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and modelled on the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone’s commission to strengthen transparency and confidence-building.
He added that environmental protection is also a key pillar of SEANWFZ, noting that the treaty prohibits the dumping of radioactive waste and strictly limits nuclear energy activities, thereby reinforcing intergenerational equity and the health of the region’s ecosystems.
Zainal Abidin said that Malaysia’s ASEAN 2025 Chairmanship theme of “Inclusivity and Sustainability” aligns well with global concerns such as climate change, equitable development and peace, while also helping to link the SEANWFZ to broader issues like environmental protection and social justice.
He said Malaysia had worked diligently behind the scenes through ASEAN committees and diplomatic channels to ensure smooth logistics and focused discussions for this year’s meeting, particularly on sensitive issues such as monitoring and enforcing the treaty.
He added that Malaysia could use its leadership in green technology, clean energy, and equitable economic growth to demonstrate how diplomacy anchored in sustainability can shape regional peacebuilding in more holistic ways.
“This is different from past ASEAN meetings that kept security and development in separate boxes. Now, Malaysia is helping ASEAN think across sectors, combining peace and sustainability in new ways,” he said.
Zainal Abidin said Malaysia’s leadership could transform the AMM into a milestone event, not only for peace and denuclearisation, but for the rise of sustainability diplomacy as a defining approach for ASEAN’s efforts in balancing geopolitics, the environment, and development.
The 58th AMM and related meetings, scheduled from July 8 to 11, are expected to gather about 1,500 delegates, including foreign ministers from ASEAN, Timor-Leste, ASEAN dialogue partners, ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) participants, sectoral dialogue partners, and ASEAN Secretariat senior officials.
Malaysia is hosting the AMM as part of its fifth ASEAN Chairmanship, having previously held the role in 1977, 1997, 2005 and 2015.
-- BERNAMA
