ARTICLES

15 Jul 2022

China’s Global Security Initiative Stoking Regional Tensions

David Arase

China has doubled down on its alignment with Russia against the West. This has led to a proliferation of minilaterals and security partnerships aligned with the United States.

14 Jul 2022

Can Indonesia Provide Much-needed Leadership in ASEAN?

Joanne Lin

Indonesia's various moves on the foreign policy front suggest that it is preparing for a robust role as ASEAN Chair when it takes over the regional grouping's leadership in 2023. However, its ambitious ideas for revitalising ASEAN will meet headwinds regionally and globally.

ASEAN Indonesia Indonesia Foreign Policy

7 Jul 2022

Australia and ASEAN Relations: Hard Yakka Ahead

William Choong

Australia has made significant inroads in its engagement with ASEAN. But Canberra’s relationship with the grouping will be a hard slog, given their differences in approaching China and ensuring that Sino-U.S. rivalry does not derail regional aspirations.

ASEAN ASEAN-Australia Relations

7 Jul 2022

‘Tell the RCEP Story Well’: The Salience of RCEP in China’s Global Discourse

Hoang Thi Ha

China has gone to extensive lengths to underscore the tangible benefits arising from its participation in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. But Beijing’s criticism of the United States as being anti-globalist is overdone.

ASEAN ASEAN-China Relations ASEAN-U.S. Relations China RCEP

5 Jul 2022

Could Franchising Help Save The Planet?

Michael Schaper

The franchising sector has the capacity to play a lead role in reducing emissions, but appears to be a bit of a blind spot for climate change support and action by governments.

ASEAN Environment Sustainable Development

4 Jul 2022

Has ASEAN Reached the Point of Diminishing Returns with Myanmar?

Sharon Seah|Moe Thuzar

The State Administration Council has cleverly gamed the ASEAN system for its own ends and dragged out the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus. It is time for ASEAN to pack more punch into the office of the Special Envoy to Myanmar.

ASEAN Diplomacy International Relations Myanmar

28 Jun 2022

ASEAN and ADMM: Climbing Out of a Deep Hole

Joanne Lin

The ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting has bagged modest achievements in past years. But it will take a lot more to assert ASEAN’s central role in a region where external powers have grabbed the initiative in forming minilaterals outside the ASEAN ecosystem.

ASEAN Defence Indo-Pacfic

16 Jun 2022

Hot and Bothered: Climate Challenges for ASEAN’s Tourism Reopening

Nguyen Thu Giang|Phi Minh Hong

Climate change will drastically affect ASEAN’s tourism industry if regional measures on climate adaptation are not taken to ameliorate its potential negative effects on key tourist sites.

ASEAN Climate Change Sustainable Development Tourism

10 Jun 2022

The Need for Power Balance Amidst Rising Great Power Contestations

Daljit Singh

ASEAN and its constituent states must not neglect the crucial importance of maintaining a balance of influence and power between the great powers to secure space for their own independence.

ASEAN AUKUS China-U.S. Relations Quad Security

9 Jun 2022

#LeaveNoOneBehind: Ensuring Universal Energy Access in SEA’s Transition

Prapimphan Chiengkul

ASEAN is unlikely to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 7 as it transitions to cleaner energy. While some encouraging steps have been taken to assure the region’s citizens of energy access, much more needs to be done to bring the entire region on an equal footing.

ASEAN Energy Renewable Energy Sustainable Development