The term “ASEAN centrality” is used so often that one assumes the concept is alive and well. But as recent polling suggests, ASEAN centrality is at the risk of going bankrupt.
Category Archives: Commentaries
Nguyen Phu Trong’s Dominance in Vietnamese politics: Far-reaching Implications
Nguyen Phu Trong’s dominance in Vietnamese politics bodes well for the country’s fight against corruption. But the advanced age and health of the general secretary would make the search for a successor challenging.
ASEAN’s Agricultural Climate Resilience: Is Strengthening Domestic Production Enough?
To achieve global food security, there is a need not only to increase domestic production, but also to adapt to the climatic impacts on agriculture. This is particularly pertinent in Southeast Asia.
Recent Clashes at Chinese Companies in Indonesia Might be Fodder for Political Manipulation
A fatal incident last month involving a Chinese-owned mining company raises the spectre of political opportunists exploiting anti-Chinese sentiments in the run-up to Indonesia’s 2024 elections.
Tools for Planning and Mapping a Food-Secure Malaysia
Malaysia has developed comprehensive agriculture and food security policies to respond to exceptionally high inflation since 2020. However, comprehensive tools are also required to successfully translate aspiration into action.
Southeast Asians Mull Over a Taiwan Conflict: Big Concerns But Limited Choices
In the event of hostilities in the Taiwan Strait, Southeast Asian countries will face a difficult dilemma. Their latitude for manoeuvre will be limited, particularly as the Philippines, a key ASEAN member and a U.S. treaty ally, prepares to provide base access to the United States in such a contingency.
Imagining Marcos Jr. as the “Strong Leader” in an Age of Digital Disinformation
Digital disinformation has been menacingly deployed to distort historical narratives about the Philippines’ Martial Law period in the 1970s and early 1980s. This tactic, bolstered by social media technologies, has masterfully resonated with the yearning for a “strong leader” who is independent of the country’s elites and able to discipline the nation’s masses.
Southeast Asian Economies: Out of the Storm, Clouds on the Horizon
The Southeast Asian economy is looking up, after absorbing the blow of several downside risks in 2022. Continued growth in 2023 will depend on China’s recovery, the management of the fallout from the U.S.-China trade war and the war in Ukraine.
Rebuilding Social Cohesion for Myanmar’s Post-Conflict Future
Two years after the February 2021 coup in Myanmar, societal ruptures amidst a civil war demand far-sighted visions for a post-conflict future led by the people.
Fragmented Digital Regulations are Constraining ASEAN’s Digital Economy
The ASEAN digital economy is running sub-optimally due to fragmented regulatory frameworks. Increased coherence will enable the region’s firms to break out of their local markets and raise revenues from the expansion of consumer markets.