Toward an ASEAN Strategic Narrative: Community, Agency, Inclusivity

At the present time there is a growing interest in strategic narratives. The United States and China, not surprisingly, receive most attention. In an increasingly multi-polar world, however, it is critical to consider the strategic narratives of India, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Significant work has already been focused on individual Southeast Asian states—and some also on ASEAN as a grouping. The present essay seeks to tell the ASEAN story in a manner that helps to formulate a succinct strategic narrative. It presents ASEAN historically in the framework of “Asia” regionalism—stressing the competition with “Pacific” regionalism. It then highlights ASEAN's ambitious region building—first in the “Southeast Asia” sphere and then in the wider “East Asia.” At a third, even broader level ASEAN seeks to contribute to an “Indo-Pacific” order—giving prominence to certain longstanding principles, such as inclusivity, non-intervention and the search for consensus.