ASEAN Acts as a Middle Power

ASEAN acts as a middle power in the Indo-Pacific region by pursuing a vision of strategic autonomy and a balanced approach to the major powers, especially the US and China. ASEAN se
eks to maintain its centrality and relevance in the regional architecture, and to promote a rules-based order that respects the sovereignty and interests of all states.

ASEAN also engages in various forms of multilateral cooperation and dialogue, such as the ASEAN Regional Forum, the East Asia Summit, and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus, to address common security and economic challenges.

ASEAN also advocates for a comprehensive and inclusive concept of the Indo-Pacific, which emphasizes connectivity, sustainability, and respect for international law123.

ASEAN’s role as a middle power is not without challenges, however, as it faces internal divisions, capacity constraints, and external pressures from the rising tensions between the US and China. ASEAN will need to balance its economic dependence on China with its security reliance on the US, and to find ways to enhance its cohesion and resilience in the face of uncertainty and volatility in the Indo-Pacific.