ASEAN Centrality in th Global Dynamics

This research project is entitled “ASEAN Centrality in the Global Dynamics”. It’s conducted with reference to the State Policy under Strategy No.2 of the Secretariat Office of the House of Representatives to strengthen the good relationship and to create cooperation among the members of the ASEAN community and their parliaments according to the Strategic Plans under the Secretariat Office of the House of Representatives 2018-2021.

This research project has four key objectives including (1) to study and analyze the development plan and direction towards ASEAN centrality in Regional Architecture, (2) to study the cooperative framework and the strategies between the members and their dialogue partners towards achieving ASEAN centrality in regional architecture, (3) to study key parameters with impact on ASEAN centrality in the Global Dynamics relative to ASEAN and Thailand, and (4) to study strategies, policies, plans, measures, and laws of ASEAN, its members, as well as Thailand pertaining to ASEAN centrality in regional architecture.

According to the research, it’s discovered that the development and direction towards ASEAN centrality in regional architecture is progressing well through the more influential roles of ASEAN including its members’ strategies and readiness towards ASEAN centrality. In addition, ASEAN played a big role serving as the center of the Southeast Asian region both during and after the Cold War period. During the Cold War, ASEAN signed a Declaration on the Zone of Peace, Freedom, and Neutrality – ZOPFAN, the Bali Concord, as well as the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia -TAC; which elevated the status of ASEAN closer to being the center of the Southeast Asian region. The role included its mission of ordering a withdrawal of Vietnamese troops from Cambodia in 1989 which had been proven outstanding achievement in terms of ASEAN centrality. Furthermore, in the Post-Cold War period, ASEAN acted more as the Architectural center of the Southeast Asian region especially by the setting up of the ASEAN Free Trade Area – AFTA, as well as the organizing of ASEAN Regional Forum – ARF to gather cooperation from members on Political stability and Security in the Asia-Pacific region. And though the community had to face with the economic challenges and the 1999 East Timorese crisis, there was still a success in the setting up of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015 and gradually regaining its position as the center of the region through series of legally-binding documents such as Bali Concord II, the ASEAN Charter, the Plans for the setting up of the ASEAN Community, and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) which further highlighted the status of ASEAN centrality.

Key influential factors, internal and external, contributing to ASEAN centrality positioning have shown that ASEAN can successfully play a central role due to its autonomy which enables it to be unique and thus able to take the leading role in the initiation of various cooperative frameworks including the formulating of rules and regulations for relevant negotiation platforms such as on ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, South China Sea disputes, ASEAN-United States of America Joint Declaration for Cooperation to Combat International Terrorism , as well as the ones within the ASEAN+3 framework such as RCEP and the East Asia Summit.