The Chairman's Statements as Political Discourse: An Examination of ASEAN's Pragmatism in the South China Sea Tensions

Abstract

This study examines the pragmatism of ASEAN in the language and framing of the Chairmen’s Statements on the South China Sea (SCS) tensions after the organization’s series of summits from 2014 to 2023. Guided by Van Doorn and Mumford’s framework, the research explores three questions: how pragmatism is constructed in ASEAN’s discourse, what diplomatic outcomes it achieves, and how it reflects ASEAN’s changing approach to conflict resolution. By employing Van Dijk’s Political Discourse Analysis, the study identifies four discursive constructions of pragmatism: legalistic and depersonalized language, repetition of cooperative goals, procedural optimism, and avoidance of direct conflict.

These rhetorical patterns enabled ASEAN to accomplish diplomatic cohesion, maintain neutrality, enhance credibility, and reinforce its centrality in regional diplomacy. The research further demonstrates ASEAN’s gradual shift from principlebased declarations to the institutionalization of preventive diplomacy, responsiveness to environmental and humanitarian risks, and the use of incremental, progressoriented language. These findings affirm ASEAN’s identity as a pragmatic, processdriven regional organization capable of managing complex maritime tensions without escalation.

The study concludes with three strategic recommendations to institutionalize ASEAN’s language tools, strengthen preventive mechanisms, and enhance transparency and institutional memory. Overall, the research contributes to understanding how ASEAN pragmatically sustains relevance and unity in an increasingly contested geopolitical landscape.