Anchored by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Southeast Asia is one of the most dynamic and diverse regions in Asia. It includes Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Over the past 50 years, Southeast Asian nations have managed to overcome instability and conflict to build a successful multilateral forum that promotes regional cooperation and consensus-building among a highly distinct and internally diverse group of countries.
ASPI’s work on Southeast Asia focuses on policy dialogues and solution-oriented projects and recommendations reports, as well as sharing insights about and perspectives from the region through public events and expert commentary. ASPI conducts projects that aim to enhance the security, prosperity, and sustainability of the region, as well as advance Southeast Asia’s relations with the United States and the rest of the Asia-Pacific. For instance, ASPI’s U.S.-Myanmar Track II dialogue helped inform policymakers in both countries at a time that Myanmar’s government was inching toward reform and opening up to the international community.
Featured Initiatives
Reports
Featured Countries
Commentary
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paperShay Wester and Kaewkamol Pitakdumrongkit discuss what's at stake for Asia in the 2024 U.S. election on U.S.-ASEAN relations and trade.
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articleMeera Gopal takes a closer look at the election outcomes in the United Kingdom, the EU, and France and explores how these political transitions impact their respective approaches to international climate cooperation.
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articleSoutheast Asia faces growing energy security challenges amid its transition to clean energy. With declining local gas production and increasing reliance on LNG imports, the region could become a net gas importer as early as 2025.
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paperRishi Gupta explores the political turmoil in Bangladesh and Sheikh Hasina's rise and fall.
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articleChina’s EV supply-chain investments in the region come with environmental and social challenges – which sustainable miner Australia can help solve.
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articleSkyrocketing cocoa prices in recent months along with the world’s biggest cocoa supply deficit – 374,000 tonnes – in more than sixty years have raised fears of a looming chocolate shortage amid ongoing global food insecurity concerns.
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Professional development program for ASEAN early-career female trade experts in 2024.
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articleFarwa Aamer and Meera Gopal highlight the key outcomes of the meetings, examining the evolving international financial architecture and reform agenda, with a focus on Asia.
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articleBetty Wang analyzes how climate issues have shown up in recent elections in Asia and how electoral outcomes will influence future climate progress.
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articleRussian President Vladimir Putin’s “grain diplomacy” continues to cause headaches for the European Union while potentially reshaping global trade dynamics and markets more in Moscow’s favor.