The new power brokers? Southeast Asian economies gaining global clout
Issued on:
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
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning
Subscribe