Former Indonesian foreign minister Dr Marty Natalegawa has challenged the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) to provide leadership and vision or risk regressing at the Australian launch of his new book.
ASEAN member states have different perspectives on the significance of the grouping. As one of the founder member states, the second largest economy and a leading state within ASEAN, Thailand’s view is important.
Australia, as ASEAN’s longest-standing partner, should support its multilateralism, look for opportunities to deepen the relationship, and show area-specific leadership in Southeast Asia, Huong Le Thu writes.
Speaking at the Australian National University’s annual Australia 360 event last Tuesday, a panel of academics broke down Australia’s key regional relationships, starting in Southeast Asia.
Australia’s preoccupation with the US-China dynamic in recent years is unsurprising — given its historic relationship with America and the size of economic engagement with China.
Huong Le Thu says the recent summit demonstrates yet again why sweeping contentious issues such as the South China Sea under the carpet will only doom the grouping to irrelevanc