LSE IDEAS, KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific (KSI), and the ASEAN Business Club (ABC) are hosting a high-level conference on “ASEAN at the Geopolitical Crossroads”.
This in-person, closed-door event will bring together Southeast Asia’s top policymakers, diplomats, and business leaders with their UK counterparts to examine Southeast Asia’s strategic outlook and potential for deeper engagement with the United Kingdom.
As the global order fragments, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) stands at a critical inflection point. With over 680 million people and a combined GDP nearing USD 4 trillion, it remains a key engine of growth and stability but faces rising pressures from great power rivalry, protectionism, and weakening multilateralism.
The return of President Donald Trump to the White House has added to global uncertainty, reinforcing the need for ASEAN to adopt a more assertive external posture. In this shifting environment, ASEAN must strengthen its collective diplomacy, defend its economic interests, and avoid being sidelined in decisions that affect the region’s long-term security and prosperity.
This conference will place ASEAN’s voice at the centre of London’s policy and academic circles. It will also explore concrete opportunities for collaboration in education, trade, and technology, drawing on the intellectual strength of LSE IDEAS, the convening reach of KSI, and the private sector leadership of ABC.
The event will conclude with a policy-oriented publication for ASEAN leaders and UK decision-makers.
More information about the event
This event is hosted by LSE IDEAS, ASEAN, Association of Southeast Asian Nations & ABC, ASEAN Business Club, KSI, KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific.
This event is convened by LSE IDEAS.
LSE IDEAS (@lseideas) is LSE's foreign policy think tank. Through sustained engagement with policymakers and opinion-formers, IDEAS provides a forum that informs policy debate and connects academic research with the practice of diplomacy and strategy.
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