One Month Away: ASEAN-UK Ministerial Meeting

In just a month, the ASEAN-UK ministerial meeting will convene in Kuala Lumpur on 10 July 2025. This annual meeting is critical for the UK’s Indo-Pacific strategy and its enduring partnership with ASEAN. The clock is ticking, and it is worth taking a snapshot of what progress has been made so far and what should be expected.

The partnership has indeed moved at a remarkable pace. Looking back to last year, Foreign Secretary David Lammy highlighted in Vientiane that the Plan of Action (POA) for 2022-2026 has been 80% implemented.

One can anticipate strong progress on economic cooperation. The UK, as a member of the G7 and G20, is keen to deepen its footprint in Southeast Asia. The UK ranks as the 8th largest trading partner and has the same standing in terms of FDI among ASEAN Dialogue Partners. The £25 million ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme and ongoing discussions for the ASEAN-UK Air Services Agreement are clear signals of intent. Expectations from the upcoming meeting would include the calls for acceleration of digital trade, supply chain resilience, and avenue for greater market access. Additionally, the focus on green finance and sustainable infrastructure will continue, alongside global climate change efforts.

In the political-security realm, the landscape is far less settled. The UK is trying to earn its corridor within the tight space alongside with the major power and middle power in Indo-Pacific and the “horse” in ASEAN chessboard. As a four-year old dialogue partner, the UK has worked to achieve observer status in ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Groups on Military Medicine and Maritime Security for the 2024-2027 cycle. With this mind, the agenda would likely to revolve around combating transnational crime, enhancing cybersecurity, and reinforcing maritime cooperation, and particularly in upholding a rules-based international order, same taste to last year meeting in Vientiane. In the upcoming meeting, a reaffirmation of multilateralism and support for ASEAN-led architecture, including the AOIP, will undoubtedly feature. While hard security efforts will take steps forward, but the low-level of engagement in serious game are still remain to be predictable.

From a socio-cultural perspective, the UK will focus on the softer aspects of diplomacy, while also playing an important role as a new partner for ASEAN in enhancing its presence within the community. Existing scholarship and educational initiatives, such as SAGE Women in STEM, represent valuable investments in human capital, although questions may arise regarding their effectiveness in fostering trust and confidence within the ASEAN community. In light of this, ASEAN and UK ministers are likely to explore further reading, particularly in education, healthcare, and disaster risk management, as well as the expand its engagement with grassroot and track 1.5 or track 2 diplomacy.

However, with the end of the current POA version looming in 2026, this meeting calls for more than just a review; it necessitates a bolder evaluation of what POA 2.0 should be look like.

In essence, while the upcoming ASEAN-UK ministerial meeting is indeed critical, more importantly, it is an opportunity to demonstrate that the UK is taking serious steps in the Indo-Pacific beyond mere geopolitical maneuvering. The focus should shift from “what to expect” to “what must be delivered” and from “just a dialogue partner” to "a more strategic partner." The UK should strive to earn the status of a partner of choice for ASEAN, a predictable and stable partner in the region. Allowing ASEAN to view the UK as a balancing partner between the US and China is natural, but it is even better to be regarded as a trustworthy and reliable choice for a “balancing power."

Let’s be frank; Southeast Asia remains a strategic interest for major powers, particularly the US and China. Despite this, the UK’s presence is generally welcomed, though this welcome is accompanied by complexities.

A way forward involves how ASEAN and the UK can collectively promote a more stable and predictable regional order amid rising geopolitical uncertainties. This could involve joint initiatives focusing on de-escalation and confidence-building measures, rather than purely on security partnerships. Beyond formal government-to-government ties, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation between UK and ASEAN societies can strengthen the partnership. This could also involve facilitating academic and cultural exchange. The future of the partnership also rests on the next generation, creating more youth exchange programme, mentorship initiative, and leadership development platforms should be considered in the 2.0 of POA.

The opinions shared by the contributor and in this article is solely of the author and do not reflect the views of the institution.

Vanndasambath Chhuon is the General Coordinator of the ASEAN-UK Young Leaders Initiative and Deputy Director of the Cambodian Center for Regional Studies, a foreign policy think tank based in Phnom Penh.

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