France, Spain, and Italy primarily export naval and air platforms to Southeast Asia, whereas the Visegrád Four, primarily Czechia and Poland, focus on armored vehicles and drones. Key takeaways: Western European states supply Southeast Asia with advanced air and naval platforms, often linked to local industrial participation, while Central European countries concentrate on land systems… Continue reading Europe is increasing its military engagements with ASEAN states
Mapping academic ties between Central Europe and Southeast Asia reveals growing, though uneven, links across the region. Key takeaways: Since 1989, research interest in Southeast Asia has expanded from philology and languages, religious studies, and ethnography to virtually all other academic disciplines. Despite growing interest in the region, there is still no dedicated institute for… Continue reading Academic relations between Central Europe and Southeast Asia: Rising mutual interest
Trapped between an unpredictable Washington and a distrusted Beijing, Southeast Asia refuses to pick sides. Key takeaways: The United States will remain a central security and economic actor in Southeast Asia during President Trump’s second term, although its approach to the region will continue to be driven by unilateralism and transactionalism. The more critical view… Continue reading No easy choice: Southeast Asia’s split views on US leadership and China’s rise
With Timor-Leste’s admission to ASEAN in October 2025, the vision of the association’s founding fathers has been fulfilled: all Southeast Asian nations are now united within a single regional institution. Key takeaways: Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN in 2025 was a significant milestone for a small, post-conflict nation and the poorest country in Southeast Asia. To… Continue reading Timor-Leste’s bet on ASEAN: A path to institutional and economic transformation
Key takeaway: The current geopolitical and geoeconomic environment, along with overlapping strategic interests of the EU and ASEAN, creates strong opportunities to deepen Europe–Southeast Asia relations across the board. Established EU–ASEAN cooperation mechanisms provide a solid platform for smaller EU members to advance ties with ASEAN and individual Southeast Asian countries. To stand out, however,… Continue reading 2027 and beyond: Advancing EU and Slovak relations with Southeast Asia
