Evelyn Li Xinruo explores conscription policies across Southeast Asia and how youth perspectives challenge its legitimacy as a modern tool of defence and nation-building.
Category Archives: ASEANFocus
The ASEAN Treaty on Extradition: ASEAN’s Commitment to Cross-Border Justice
Yvette Foo argues that while the ASEAN Treaty on Extradition is ambiguous in several areas, it represents ASEAN’s commitment towards strengthening regional capacity on crime prevention and criminal justice.
MSMEs in the ASEAN Economic Community: Connecting the Blueprint to Real-World Action
Miguel Jaime Encarnacion examines the goals, challenges and opportunities faced by micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through principal ASEAN economic instruments, assessments, and domestic policies.
Reading ASEAN’s Sentiments in a Year of Crosswinds
Joanne Lin and Jasmine Yeo show how insights from two major regional surveys in 2025 capture the forces shaping ASEAN’s confidence in a year of shifting global winds.
A New Deal for the Mekong
Anoulak Kittikhoun argues that by treating the Mekong as an interconnected system rather than a patchwork of national interests, ASEAN can help transform the river into a model of regional cooperation, sustainability, and shared prosperity.
Korea’s New ASEAN Policy: Pragmatic Partnership for a Shared Future
Lee Jaehyon and Ko Youngkyung elaborate how Korea’s new ASEAN policy under President Lee Jae-myung emphasises pragmatic, and mutually beneficial cooperation across security, economic, and people-to-people domains.
47th ASEAN Summit: Steadiness Amid Shifting Tides
Joanne Lin, Melinda Martinus and Kristina Fong examine the outcomes of the 47th ASEAN Summit and assess Malaysia’s achievement as the ASEAN Chair.
Securing the ASEAN Economy in an Over-securitised World
Julia Tijaja, Muhammad Habib Abiyan Dzakwan, and Rania Teguh analyse how ASEAN can navigate the growing overlap between economic and security concerns while preserving regional resilience.
India’s Rising Profile in Southeast Asia and the Test of Strategic Relevance
Joanne Lin examines why improved perceptions of India in Southeast Asia remain fragile, and what it will take to turn momentum into meaningful cooperation.
Operationalising the AEC Strategic Plan 2026-2030: From Aspirations to Real Action
Denis Hew analyses the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Plan 2026-2030, focusing on its ambitious goals and how they can be expanded, while highlighting concerns over its actionability and the broader implications on ASEAN.