Singapore (VNA) – Cooperation and connectivity in the Association of Southeast AsianNations (ASEAN) have seen improvements in 2018 under Singapore’s chairmanship,which was themed “Resilience and Innovation”.

The 33rd ASEAN Summit and related meetings lastNovember concluded Singapore’s chairmanship.

Ensuring ASEAN’s central role and the region’sdynamic development was Singapore’s target for the bloc this year.

It put forth three focuses during itschairmanship, namely maintaining the rule-based regional order to help ASEANbetter resolve emerging security challenges like cyber security, trans-nationalcrime and terrorism; promoting regional economic integration and connectivityto enhance prosperity and competitiveness; and finding creative ways in digitaltechnology management and utilisation, and improving people’s ability to adaptto a digital economy.

Under Singapore’s chairmanship, the bloc hasmaintained its centrality and consolidated ASEAN-led dialogue and cooperationmechanisms, attaining major outcomes in building an ASEAN Community andrealising the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, while contributing to peace andstability in the region.

The procession of community building included aseries of initiatives proposed by Singapore and other member nations. Notably,leaders adopted the ASEAN Smart Cities Network to connect 26 cities in theregion to facilitate access to achievements generated by the communitybuilding.

ASEAN also received strong support from itspartners and played its role in dealing with emerging issues, especially largenatural disasters.

Its relations with partners have been enhancedthrough special summits with Australia and India.

Aside from those strides, the grouping alsofaces difficulties and challenges posed by complex changes in the internationaland regional environment, as well as in ASEAN itself.

The changing geo-political balance has turnedASEAN into a “front” for powerful countries to compete for influence.Additionally, the free, open and rule-based multilateral system that hascontributed to ASEAN’s growth and stability is under pressure as somecountries, including world powers, do not support multilateralism.

Facing this fact, ASEAN leaders have reiteratedthe key requirement is maintaining solidarity, unanimity and the central roleof ASEAN and solidifying an open, transparent and rule-based regionalcooperation architecture with ASEAN at the centre.

Cohesion is considered the “catalyst” assistingthe bloc to adapt to the changing international environment and sustain itscentral role in the region in the face of other blocs or regional cooperationprojects. It is also an important factor for ASEAN to be recognised as avaluable partner of powers in the world.

Cohesion will also help strengthen the SoutheastAsian region’s capacity to cope with common threats like terrorism, cyber-crimeand climate change, and grasp opportunities and respond to unwanted impacts ofthe digital technology revolution.

With the efforts and steps taken in 2018, ASEANhas shaped new directions to move forward and build a steadfast, resilient andcohesive community.–VNA