Against the backdrop of new global and regional challenges that are becoming increasingly interconnected, member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will strengthen the ASEAN-centric regional architecture in the Indo-Pacific (Asia-Pacific) region, the leaders of the regional bloc said in a joint declaration , adopted at its summit, which took place in the capital of Laos, Vientiane.
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“Express ASEAN’s resolve to shape and guide an evolving regional architecture that is built on ASEAN-led mechanisms, and to ensure that geopolitical and geostrategic shifts continue to bring, rather than disrupt, peace, security, stability and prosperity for the people of Southeast Asia, and in the wider Asia-Pacific or Indo-Pacific region,” the declaration said.
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The regional bloc’s leaders also say they will strengthen ASEAN’s central role and promote strategic discussions to build strategic trust, confidence and win-win cooperation through ASEAN-led mechanisms, including ASEAN Plus One, ASEAN Plus Three, East Asia Summit, ASEAN Regional Security Forum (ARF), ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus and Enhanced ASEAN Maritime Forum to maintain and promote a peace environment conducive to sustainable growth.
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“ASEAN countries commit to building a future-ready ASEAN and an ASEAN-centric open, transparent, sustainable, inclusive and rules-based regional architecture that upholds international law by ensuring a culture of dialogue, engagement and cooperation in ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific region,” the document says.
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ASEAN includes Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. In 2024, the rotating chairmanship of the regional bloc will be held by Laos.
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At the end of a series of summits of ASEAN and the bloc’s dialogue partners, held in the capital of Laos, the chairmanship of ASEAN for 2025 will pass to Malaysia.
