The countries of South-East Asia between Beijing and Washington: in search of a balance and the difficulties in maintaining unity
The paper points out the problems facing ASEAN member-states in respect to the growing American-China competition for influence in the region. The author stresses that the fundamental ASEAN idea of the region independence, its liberation from the predominant foreign influence has almost disappeared by now. Today the urgent problem is not to oust foreign influence and maintain the so much cherished “ASEAN centrality” principle, but to ensure the survival of ASEAN as an integrated and cohesive regional organization under the condition when the struggle of the two great powers the US and China for domination in South-East Asia and wider - in East Asia is getting more and more fierce and principled.