Prospects for ASEAN Centrality in the Coming Decade

Abstract

ASEAN’s central role has been built on the basis of solidarity among the Southeast Asian nations and their efforts to establish multilateral cooperation frameworks with major powers. Emerging in the 1990s and becoming more clearly defined in the early twenty-first century, this role has been reflected in ASEAN’s ability to initiate, connect, and reconcile security and development interests among its member states as well as between ASEAN and external partners. However, in the coming decade, due to internal constraints within the bloc and the complexity of the global geopolitical environment, ASEAN is more likely to focus on serving as a bridge for dialogue and trust-building rather than leading or making decisions to resolve conflicts. In this context, as a memeber of ASEAN, Vietnam needs to proactively strengthen intra-bloc unity, consistently uphold the “ASEAN Way,” and effectively utilize regional forums to safeguard sovereignty, enhance strategic connectivity, and promote sustainable development.