Given divergent interests and alliances in the region, the Philippines ‘ Defense Secretary said on Tuesday that a security grouping in Southeast Asia comparable to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) is not currently possible.
Gilberto Teodoro, a safety expert, said the possibility of a NATO-equivalent in Southeast Asia would present challenges for setting up a united military alliance because of its intricate “dichotomies and divergence in country interests.”
” For instance, we have a pre-ASEAN defence alliance with the United States. We continue to build relationships with like-minded places”, he said in a safety conference in Manila.
” Another Asian nations have formed alliances with China.”
Prior to taking office, Japan’s new prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, had suggested setting up an” Asian NATO,” a thought that had gained little grip and was rejected by the US and India.
When asked if China was in thinking, Japan’s foreign minister later said that such an thought was not intended to combat a particular nation.