For years, Southeast Asian governments have been the target of advanced cyberattacks. As Asean and Chinese officials discuss the code of conduct on the South China Sea, they should include the cyber dimension in negotiations on expected standards of behaviour.
Joe Biden’s no-show at next month’s Asean Summit is a calculated decision taken in US interests. Instead of feeling slighted, the bloc should redouble its efforts to strengthen intraregional integration and seize emerging opportunities for strategic cooperation.
A cycle of reciprocal aggression between the world’s two largest and most influential powers cannot be the formula for stable or orderly coexistence. As a relatively neutral set of actors, Asean states should go beyond acting as mediators between the major powers and jointly identify possible solutions.