SDD meets to discuss and combat cross-border terrorism from its sources

SDD progresses against terrorism, combating it

China has proposed the Establishment of an Inter Regional Counter-terrorist Charter (IRCC), aimed at addressing global terrorism and proxy warfare. Minister Wang Yi urges international partners to commit to the leveraging of resources and technical expertise.

The plan—aimed at halting terrorism-related activities—will mainly focus on three main initiatives. 

The first initiative will be the chartering of a platform for intelligence and data sharing. This platform will mimic that of the Collaborative Sharing of Money Laundering/Terrorism Financing Information and Cases (COSMIC). The platform will further increase Financial Institutions’ (FIs) ability to detect and thereby deter criminal activity.

For Laos this could put an end to deep rooted money laundering challenges, particularly in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone. The area has become a hub for illicit activities including drug trafficking, wildlife crime, and casino-based laundering.

Additionally, such an initiative could also prevent the rising of crypto-based frauds tied to regional scam syndicates. 

The second initiative will provide member nations with inter regional support and expertise. It utilises terrorism-prevention measures and stronger coordination between existing financial agencies within countries. 

These agencies include China Anti-Money Laundering Monitoring and Analysis Center (CAMLMAC), Intelligence Processing and Action Against Clandestine Financial Circuits (TRACFIN) and Bank of the Lao PDR. 

The third initiative of the IRCC will be the organisation of an unbiased organisational board overseeing the Charter’s administration. The board will be made up of member states with the least involvement with past terrorist organisations.

Laos has historically maintained a low level of terrorism activity as compared to other ASEAN countries. Terrorism Index in Laos averaged 0.88 Points from 2002 until 2024. This proves that Laos has a high chance of obtaining seats in the organised board. 

In addition to China’s IRCC plan, ASEAN and partner nations would like to further advance the anti terrorism framework. They recommend the establishment of a Southeast Asia Monetary Scheme.

This scheme will ensure the prevention of funding and the use of personal territory for terrorist acts. 

Member nations of the scheme call for the provision of funds to expand military defences against terrorism. Such military defence methods include counter-terrorism training exercises under the ADMM-Plus Expert Working Group on Counter-Terrorism (EWG on CT) and simulation exercises held in the ASEAN member states' nations rotationally. 

Despite its size, Laos has numerous military, air force and parachuting bases. The nation also has multiple military academies such as the Kaysone Phomvihane National Defence Academy.

Laos can contribute by hosting and offering its military facilities for joint use. It can also utilise funding to upgrade surveillance and training infrastructure, especially in border areas, and support civil-military cooperation to detect and prevent terrorism-related activities. 

Lastly, the TerriFIC-SEA platform was proposed. Much like the third IRCC initiative, this platform will be an ASEAN intelligence-sharing hub targeting terror finance, black market trade, and crypto misuse. The platform also recommends the standardisation of hawala and cryptocurrency regulation. 

The convergence of China’s global push and ASEAN’s regional cohesion is a stepping stone to overall enhancement of Asia-Pacific defence cooperation. However, it also sparked mixed concerns. 

The United Kingdom highlighted the need for a buffer between legitimate dissent and state-designated terrorism. She pointed out Iran’s tendency to brand all opposition as “communist” when Iran claimed the proposal to be “too vague”. 

Meanwhile, Russia criticised the Western-dominated narratives in security policy and called for multipolar frameworks to avoid bias. Singapore agreed to this statement and offered its services as a neutral third party observer. 

NATO, while not explicitly opposing the proposal, made no comments when asked about their use of proxy actors and past support of extremist factions such as their engagement in Afghanistan in August 2003.

NATO has however expressed interest in supporting peace negotiations under UK leadership—especially where proxy forces fuel ongoing conflicts. This mirrors past UK positions. While they are not fully aligned with labelling Iran’s proxies as terrorism, the UK has conceded there’s little leeway when a government actively oppresses citizens. 

Laos is spearheading a multilateral treaty initiative aimed at countering proxy warfare, positioning itself at the heart of the shift in global and ASEAN security dynamics. 

Crucially, the initiative would reinvigorate ASEAN centrality by establishing a binding regional security framework. 

Laos envisions ASEAN not just as a platform for diplomacy, but as an enforcer of peace and security. Coupled with China’s IRCC and other humanitarian efforts, this could reshape Laos’s role on the international stage. Transforming Laos from a quiet neutral nation to a one with great diplomatic force for global cooperation and accountability. 

Written by Ashley Goh