PoliticsdiplomacyBilateral Relations
Thailand urges EU to help balance powers in ASEAN region.
In the grand geopolitical theater of Southeast Asia, a delicate and perpetual balancing act is underway, one where the entry of a powerful European bloc is being actively courted not as a meddler, but as a crucial counterweight. Thailand’s Foreign Minister, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, articulated this strategic calculus with remarkable clarity on the sidelines of an Indo-Pacific meeting in Brussels, conveying to Euronews that the European Union’s sustained presence within the ASEAN region serves as an essential force for equilibrium between the titanic influences of the United States and China.This is not merely a diplomatic pleasantry; it is a profound reflection of the new reality facing the ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which finds itself caught in the crosscurrents of a modern-day Cold War. For nations like Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and Indonesia, the primary foreign policy objective has shifted from picking a side to meticulously ensuring that no single power achieves overwhelming dominance.The historical precedent is stark—from the spheres of influence that carved up Europe in the 19th century to the bipolar world of the late 20th century, small and medium-sized states have always suffered when great power competition goes unchecked. The EU, with its immense economic heft and normative power, represents a unique third pillar.It is a entity that, while sharing democratic values and a security partnership with the US, often pursues a distinct, more multilateral approach to trade, climate, and digital governance, offering ASEAN nations a viable alternative to a binary choice. Minister Sihasak’s statement is a tacit admission that the region’s much-vaunted 'ASEAN Centrality'—the principle of the bloc being in the driver's seat of its own regional architecture—is under severe strain.Without the ballast that a engaged Europe provides, the centrifugal forces pulling members towards either Washington’s or Beijing’s orbit could tear the consensus-based organization apart. Expert commentators from the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies have long warned that the South China Sea disputes are merely the most visible symptom of this deeper structural contest.Thailand’s urging is therefore a strategic masterstroke, an attempt to enlist Brussels not as a combatant, but as a stabilizer. The potential consequences are immense.A more robust EU-ASEAN partnership could reshape supply chains, solidify international law in maritime domains, and create a new framework for digital and infrastructure investment that isn't solely dependent on China's Belt and Road Initiative or US-led initiatives. However, the path is fraught with challenges.The EU must navigate its own internal divisions regarding China, balancing its 'systemic rival' narrative with deep economic interdependence. For ASEAN, the risk is that inviting another major player could over-complicate an already crowded field. Yet, as in the complex alliances of old, the preservation of sovereignty for these nations may very well depend on the artful maintenance of a balance, and Thailand has just publicly nominated Europe for the role.
#ASEAN
#European Union
#Thailand
#diplomacy
#balance of power
#China
#United States
#featured
