ASEAN Deepens BRICS, Taiwan Ties Amid Power Shifts

Southeast Asian nations are recalibrating their foreign and economic policies as global power rivalries intensify, moving closer to the expanded BRICS bloc—Indonesia as a member and Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam as partners—to diversify economic ties and enhance strategic autonomy. China is intensifying efforts to become the region’s main security partner through expanded defense diplomacy and joint military activities, while its manufacturing resurgence is raising concerns about deindustrialization in ASEAN economies. The US is reaffirming alliances in the Indo-Pacific, especially with India and through the QUAD, as ASEAN countries express worries about growing global protectionism and work to strengthen intra-regional trade resilience. Taiwan has secured reciprocal visa-free travel with Thailand, the Philippines, and Brunei, signaling deeper economic and people-to-people connections in the face of Chinese pressure. ASEAN continues to leverage its institutional flexibility to balance major powers, influence trade dynamics, and safeguard its autonomy. These developments underscore Southeast Asia’s evolving role as both a contested zone and a proactive architect of its own future.