Asia’s Post-Pandemic Order and Regional Integration : ASEAN Perspectives / Anupama DEVENDRAKUMAR

Asia’s Post-Pandemic Order and Integration : Outlook of ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific at Crossroads

Asia’s Post-Pandemic Order and Regional Integration : ASEAN Perspectives
Anupama DEVENDRAKUMAR, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, VinUniversity, Vietnam

The Covid-19 pandemic is raising difficult political-economic, socio-cultural, institutional questions. The ongoing impact of the pandemic has not only questioned the integration processes but also has laid bare the loopholes in them. The leaders, scholars, academia, businesses, and the public are divided on the future of integration and the imminent changes that will mark the post-pandemic order. Extreme views on globalization such as the possibility of its reversal, demise, transformation, among others. The divided views are compelling the economies and societies across the world to reconsider the role of the state, public policy, institutions. In this context, this analytical paper will examine how the nature of integration in Asia might change and shape the post-pandemic economic order. The paper will focus on the pandemic experiences of ASEAN countries. ASEAN member countries’ performance in tackling the pandemic, its impact, the immediate coping strategies, and the long-term recovery plan will be explored under the selected themes : the role of the state, ASEAN institutions, the public policy, external partners, market actors, and social actors.

 

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Session 6 / ASEAN amidst Competing Connectivity Strategies and Integration Challenges
Chair : Prof. Prabir DE, ASEAN-India Centre (AIC), Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS)

ASEAN is still far from clear that new geopolitical changing landscape and implications from major power rivalries will turn out to be positive for the future of region building. The prime objective of the Indo-Pacific is often seen as focussed on the security issue, and not yet well defined on its economic and connectivity potential. Without downplaying the significance of the Indo-Pacific, the issue is, however, about how ASEAN connectivity will be forging with a broader region of the Indo-Pacific, in addition to the already-existed initiatives like ASEAN Master Plan of Connectivity, and ASEAN Plus’s Connectivities, the region has built up over years. What about the acceptance of the Indo-Pacific construct meant for AOIP and ASEAN Connectivity in particular ? Session will review the progress in implementing the above initiatives and the tasks ahead.

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“Asia’s Post-Pandemic Order and Integration : Outlook of ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific at Crossroads” is an international conference organized by The Research Institute on Contemporary Southeast Asia (IRASEC-CNRS) with the ASEAN Studies Center (Chulalongkorn University) in Bangkok, and the ASEAN-India Centre (AIC), RIS in New Delhi.
8-9 July 2021 - Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok