Minilateralism for Reinforcing ASEAN Centrality?: The Case of Intra-Regional Mechanisms in the Mekong Region
This paper examines how ASEAN-led minilateralism in the Mekong subregion contributes to reinforcing ASEAN centrality amid great power competition, particularly between the US and China. Some intra-regional initiatives such as the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy, the Mekong River Commission, and the ASEAN Mekong Basin Development Cooperation are examined to evaluate how ASEAN states employ minilateralism to sustain cooperation amid both development needs and intensifying great power competition in the Mekong subregion. ASEAN-led minilateralism is neither purely normative nor purely strategic. Instead, it is a pragmatic blend of cooperation and competition, designed to preserve institutional coherence while responding to geopolitical volatility.
- Ha Hai Hoang |
- November-December 2025 |
