Cambodia – EIAS

Converging Interests of Europe and ASEAN in a (More) Multipolar Global Economy

The 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur took place amid rising geoeconomic uncertainty, reaffirming ASEAN’s commitment to rules-based trade and welcoming Timor-Leste as its 11th member. The meeting was overshadowed by US President Trump’s pursuit of bilateral deals with individual ASEAN states, exposing varying national vulnerabilities to US tariff measures and their economic fallout. In this context, the EU has a key opportunity to strengthen its role as a stable and predictable economic partner, underlineing the opportunity for a deeper ASEAN-EU partnership grounded in predictability, mutual benefit and in respect of ASEAN’s unique regional order.

ASEAN’s Kuala Lumpur Summit: The Test of Regional Relevance

The 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur demonstrated that ASEAN still has diplomatic relevance: it expanded to include Timor-Leste, brokered a truce between Cambodia and Thailand, and attracted high-level participation from global powers. Yet, the Summit also exposed the limits of ASEAN’s influence. Political momentum is real, but fragile, and whether these outcomes lead to lasting progress will depend on implementation under the Philippines’ incoming chairmanship.

Cambodia’s Strategic Overture to France and the EU: Caught Between Geopolitics and Human Rights

Relations between the EU, especially France, and Cambodia have been more strained in recent years due to the EU’s criticism of Cambodia’s human rights and democratic environment. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet’s visit to France on 18-19 January 2024 represented a turning point in the bilateral relations between the two nations.

EIAS meeting with EU Visitors Programme Delegation from ASEAN

On 21 April 2023, the European Institute for Asian Studies (EIAS) hosted a roundtable discussion and expert exchange with European Union Visitors Programme (EUVP) delegates.

Southeast Asia’s Summit Season

In November 2022, Southeast Asia entered the centre of global attention as the region hosted an unprecedented group of major international summits: the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Related Summits in Cambodia on 10-13 November, the Group of Twenty (G20) Leaders’ Summit in Indonesia on 15-16 November and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Thailand on 18-19 November. Yet, as the summit season gathered the world’s leaders to foster stronger international cooperation, the gatherings were dominated by soaring diplomatic tensions and the growing strategic polarisation, consequently putting Southeast Asia’s international leadership to the test.

The 13th ASEM Summit (ASEM13) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The 13th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) took place on 25-26 November 2021 via videoconference under the theme “strengthening multilateralism for shared growth”. ASEM has major untapped potential but remains a valuable platform for dialogue and the exchange of information for its members.