The ASEAN flag is placed alongside the flags of its member countries ahead of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Langkawi, Malaysia, on Jan. 17, 2025. © Reuters
Don McLain Gill is a Philippines-based geopolitical analyst, author and lecturer at the department of international studies, De La Salle University.
As the ASEAN heads of state prepare to gather in Malaysia in May to unveil the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, it is crucial for the bloc to boldly reimagine its role and operations in anticipation of a more complex regional environment. In this regard, maritime security is one of the most critical but often downplayed aspects of intra-ASEAN cooperation.
