Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
France 24
France 24
Comment

The new power brokers? Southeast Asian economies gaining global clout

THE DEBATE © FRANCE 24

We're examining the three-day summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, better known by its acronym ASEAN, which has now wrapped up. The virtual talks were hosted by Brunei, which currently holds the chair of the 10-nation bloc. There was a lot on the agenda, but perhaps one of the top headline stories was the bloc's decision to exclude Myanmar's junta chief.

Other topics under discussion were territorial claims in the South China Sea, where Beijing and several Southeast Asian countries have overlapping claims, and the Covid-19 pandemic. A key development from the summit was a pair of agreements with Australia and China to upgrade their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership with ASEAN.

Produced by Andrew Hilliar, Sophie Pizzimenti, Imen Mellaz

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.