The ongoing power rivalry and tariff wars in the Indo-Pacific region threaten to divide the region into different blocs and increased polarization.
What is ‘ASEAN Centrality’?
- It rests on the assumption that the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) should be the driver behind “the evolving regional architecture of the Indo-Pacific”.
- It emerged in the backdrop of collapse of the Soviet Union when regional countries experienced immense uncertainty surrounding the US’ reduced military presence in the region, the possible remilitarisation of Japan, China's rise, and other security issues.
- It has also been emphasized in India’s vision for free, open, and resilient Indo-Pacific as enunciated by India’s Prime Minister at Shangri La Dialogue (2018).
Threats to ‘ASEAN Centrality’
- US-China Cold War: Threatens to splinter ASEAN due to members' varied relationships with Beijing and Washington, and making cooperation on ASEAN-based platforms difficult.
- Weakened International Architecture: US-China Cold War has undermined cooperative, ASEAN-centred formats such as the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
- US Tariffs: Tariffs are destabilizing the international trading system that ASEAN relies upon, generating tensions and leading to disunity among ASEAN members on trade responses.
Approaches to Shore up ASEAN Centrality
|
