China and Asean need to work together to foster regional peace

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attends the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Dialogue Relations in Chongqing, southwest China, June 7, 2021. – Xinhua

WITH a strategic partnership identified as integral for China and Asean to counter external geopolitical impulses and promote regional peace, the New Inclusive Asia Dialogue (NIAD) 2021 raised a key point: Is there consensus between the East Asian power and South-East Asian nations making up the regional bloc on how to work together and what impacts to counter?

Assoc Prof Dr Kuik Cheng-Chwee believes there is no consensus between the stakeholders, which complicates the effort.