ASEAN eyes Canada as anchor of peace in Indo-Pacific region

Some southeast Asian leaders see Canada as an anchor for peace in the Indo-Pacific region, as they launch a new strategic partnership at a time when tensions continue to mount over territorial claims in the South China Sea.

"As a strategic partner, I hope Canada can become an anchor for peace and stability in the region that respects international law, and that encourages co-operation that are more concrete and inclusive, in particular in the Indo-Pacific region," said Indonesian President Joko Widodo as he welcomed Canada into a new strategic partnership on Wednesday.

The partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, known as ASEAN, is considered a symbolic gesture that reflects Canada's expanded presence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Trudeau, in a Wednesday speech to ASEAN leaders, said it shows the progress being made on a free-trade agreement between Canada and the 10-nation bloc.

"We share clear commitments to peace and stability, openness and transparency, to development and economic co-operation, and to an understanding that international rules are essential for growth," Trudeau said.

Trudeau has been meeting with leaders this week on the sidelines of the annual ASEAN summit.

China, Taiwan and some ASEAN member states -- Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam -- have for decades been locked in an increasingly tense territorial standoff in the South China Sea, where a bulk of global trade transits.

China has upset many countries in the Asia-Pacific region after it released a new official map that lays claim to most of the South China Sea, as well as to contested parts of India and Russia.

Most of the governments disputing China's claims in the South China Sea are ASEAN members. India,