Each time that Asean-EU ties appear to be on an upward curve, some mishap occurs. In the past year, due to major geopolitical shifts regionally and globally, particularly over transatlantic ties, the EU has paid more attention to Asean, wanting to strengthen ties beyond trade and investment, including on security and strategic matters. Likewise, scenting the US backsliding from multilateral forums, Asean is looking toward the EU as the new stabilising force for the region's economic progress, peace and prosperity. It is still a tall order, as the EU is searching for the right approach to win hearts and minds in the world's second-most successful regional grouping.
Official publicity often labelled the relationship as "natural partners", which is a bit misleading. In fact, Asean-EU ties are problematic and best characterised as a "hate-hate", rather than a "love-hate", relationship, as with other Asean partners. One non-EU Western diplomat even described the EU as "tone deaf".
Had it not been for Mr Trump's unpredictability and condescending view of Europe, not to mention the recent drumbeat of a trade war, such a dramatic improvement in Asean-EU bonhomie would have not been possible. How else could one explain that after 40 years of friendship, given all the generous assistance and capacity-building, the EU is still on the fringes without being a strategic partner? It is a persistent, frequently asked question that needs to be answered. This time the answer is a bit more interesting.
