First summit with EE – ASEAN leaders

Its leaders EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will hold their first today summit meeting. The first summit between the leaders marks 45 years of diplomatic relations. For their part, European leaders aim to deepen their economic ties with one of the world’s most dynamic regions, which has been reduced to a key trade partner of China.

“The EU-ASEAN summit will give us the opportunity to discuss our strategy cooperation and to exchange views on important issues of common interest, notably challenges in the field of security, connectivity, trade, digital and green transition and food security,” explained the President of the European Council Charles Michel who organizes the meeting. “I am convinced that it will be the first of many regular meetings of our two regions,” he added. The main aim is to strengthen existing contacts: the two regions and the two organizations have had relations for 45 years and “their bonds are strong”Michel assured.

THE ASEAN was created in 1967 and includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. However, Myanmar will not be present in Brussels as he does not participate in the organization after the 2021 coup.

The shadow of the China, despite not being officially on the agenda: Beijing’s threats against Taiwan and against free navigation in the South China Sea are two issues of concern. Beijing’s territorial claims clash with those of many ASEAN countries, while Southeast Asia is the scene of growing rivalry between USA and China, which are trying to strengthen their influence in the region.

Differentiation

But the discussions in Brussels will focus on the crisis caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine. Europeans wish to “raise awareness” their partners in Southeast Asia and “get a condemnation of Russia,” which is seeking to circumvent economic sanctions imposed on it by G7 and the EU, many European officials explained, APE-MPE broadcasts.

Trade will still be an important issue. The EU is a key partner of ASEAN countries, but “China is much more important to them in terms of trade than the US and the EU,” a German official recalled. “There is a need for Europeans to ‘reconnect’ with ASEAN, one of the most dynamic zones in the world”, with great potential for economic development, Paris pointed out.

Already the German chancellor Olaf Solz has made many trips to the area. About 10 billion euros of European reimgs are planned for investments in the countries of the region and a list of projects has been prepared for the meeting, European officials pointed out. The EU seeks to “diversify its suppliers in order to secure their supply” and “rejects the logic of spheres of influence”, they underlined.