東協作為非爭端方自1990 年代以來對南海問題的介入日益加深，對南海問題和地區安全形勢的影響越來越大。東協南海政策是東協應對和處理南海問題的基本方法，深受「東協方式」指導，以「集團方式」、「多邊機制」介入南海問題和以「大國平衡」推動南海問題國際化為主要內容。東協視南海問題為其構建安全共同體的切入點，對權力、穩定的地區國際體系、成員國國家利益與地區安全的追求則是東協成員國圍繞南海問題博弈與互動的核心，這構成了東協在南海問題上的利益訴求。「東協方式」指導著東協南海政策，「東協方式」本身存在的一系列結構性缺失和東協在南海問題上的角色錯位由此被延至南海問題中，不僅使東協面臨著一系列潛在風險，而且還構成了南海問題升級與局勢緊張的重要因素。東協在南海問題上找準定位和正確處理對華關係，及雙方協力消除「東協方式」的結構性缺失對南海問題的負面影響將給南海問題的儘早和平解決創造良好環境。

ASEAN has been a more and more important role on the South China Seaissue and the security of the South China Sea with its increasing intervention ofthe South China Sea issue since the early 1990s. ASEAN policy on the SouthChina Sea, which has been deeply affected by ASEAN Way and consists ofthree basic components: ASEAN tries to intervene in the South China Sea issueby means of “group”, and through the way of multilateral mechanism, and thento promote the level of internationalization of this issue, is the basic methodwith which ASEAN replies and deals this issue. ASEAN takes the South ChinaSea issue as a pointcut for its building of ASEAN Security Community.ASEAN member states game and interact with each others centering on theIssue for the Power, Stable International System of region, the interests ofmember states and regional security. Those make up ASEAN’s interests on thisIssue. ASEAN policy on the South China Sea is guided by ASEAN Way. Andas a result the structural flaws of this Way and ASEAN’s roles misalignment onthis Issue have been extended to ASEAN’s intervening in this Issue. ThenASEAN has to face with a series of potential risk and the Issue upgrades a lotand the security situation of region deteriorates much. It is concluded that therewill be a better conditions for the peaceful settlement of the South China Sea asearly as possible if ASEAN could have a correct position and correctly handlethe relations with China, as well as remove the negative effects on the Issue bythe structural flaws of ASEAN Way cooperating with China.