Regarding the retraction of an ASEAN joint statement on the South China Sea issue, academics said that ASEAN’s unity is facing a big challenge. Assoc Prof Li Mingjiang from RSIS said some ASEAN countries have greater reliability on China economically, hence they are not too willing to offend China. If ASEAN cannot have the same view on regional security, it will be a challenge for ASEAN to become one body in politics and security.