New leaders ignite buzz at Asean Summits in more ways than one

Over three days, new Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra held what must be a record 15 individual meetings with world leaders.

- Tan Tam Mei

Remarkably, she managed all of these and a litany of nearly 20 other meetings at the annual Asean leaders' gathering in Vientiane.

Laos, the smallest Asean member state with a population of seven million, took over in January as the rotating chair of the grouping of South-east Asian nations in 2024.

The Asean model of values consensus and non-interference, which has been in place for nearly 60 years, has its share of critics. This is particularly so given its slow or lack of progress in resolving regional issues like the Myanmar crisis and tensions in the South China Sea.

But against the rising tide of nationalism and protectionism, this model can now be a beacon of cooperation in a fractious world, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong signalled.

"It is important that Asean and Asean partners show that there can be a different way. A way where we work together and benefit from more integration, rather than more isolation," he said on Oct 12. "Where we can benefit from win-win cooperation and free trade," added PM Wong.

The Asean Summits marked his first multilateral meeting since he was sworn in as prime minister on May 15.

Asean's 10 member states make up the third-largest regional economy in Asia and the fifth-largest in the world, lending significant clout to the grouping.

The forum, along with its East Asia Summit, can claim credit for the rare achievement of getting major powers America, Russia and China in the same room.

Despite an intense upcoming national election brewing back home, Japan's newly minted Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba made time to attend the summits in what he indicated was a necessary counter to China's potentially dominating discussions.