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Asean summit signals Europe’s focus on Asia-Pacific

    • The European Union last year drew up a new Asia Pacific geo-economic strategy, with Asean at the heart of the plan.
    • The European Union last year drew up a new Asia Pacific geo-economic strategy, with Asean at the heart of the plan. PHOTO: REUTERS
    Published Thu, Dec 1, 2022 · 06:00 AM

    MANY 2022 headlines have been made by the intensified US focus on Asia-Pacific (Apac), including at the recent Apec summit in Thailand. Yet, the growing attention that the European Union is devoting to the world’s fastest growing economic region is often overlooked.

    The latest signal of intent from the Brussels-based club towards Asia-Pacific comes in December with the first ever summit of the EU and Asean which comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The EU and Asean have been dialogue partners since 1977, with shared values and principles of a rules-based international order, effective and sustainable multilateralism, as well as free and fair trade.

    Following the EU-Asean ministerial meeting on Dec 1, 2020, the two parties opened a new chapter in their longstanding relationship by becoming strategic partners. This has seen the bilateral relationship flourish across three main platforms: political and security cooperation; economic collaboration; and socio-cultural cooperation which includes higher education, health, disaster management and preparedness, biodiversity protection and the effective management of protected areas, sustainable urbanisation, and sustainable agriculture.

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