The European Union and Asean are natural partners and have a common agenda

MY visit to Jakarta and Asean earlier in June 2021 underlined the European Union’s (EU) commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, and it reconfirmed a clear demand in the region for more cooperation and EU presence. All my interlocutors stressed that they want to shape a broad common agenda for cooperation: from the pandemic and recovery, to connectivity and trade, from the green agenda to the key area of security.

As the EU, we are well aware that the global centre of gravity is shifting towards the Indo-Pacific region. The Indo-Pacific creates 60% of global GDP and two-thirds of global growth. It is the second largest destination for EU exports and home to four out of the EU’s top 10 trading partners. Around 40% of the EU’s foreign trade passes through the South China Sea. The EU is also the top investor in and development assistance provider for the Indo-Pacific. The EU is the Asean’s number one development partner, and its third trade partner and investor. EU exports to Asean countries grew from €54bil in 2010 to €85bil in 2019 and our imports grew even more, from €72bil to €125bil.