SEAN unity on South China Sea issues is therefore fragile. As decisions within ASEAN are reached by consensus, China’s co-option of Cambodia in internal ASEAN debates on this subject and the low stake of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar highlight the risk that future Ministerial Meetings and even ASEAN Summits could be held hostage to lowest common denominator agreements. China’s interests would be protected while fissures within ASEAN are exposed.