(Analysis) Assessing the Added Value of European Engagement with Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia locates at the core of the wider Indo-Pacific region and embraces one of the globe’s most crucial bodies of water for maritime trade, the South China Sea. Being also home to vibrantly growing economies, the region holds great strategic importance for most global players. This includes the European Union (EU), whose interests in such a faraway area are of vital importance and include both economic relationships and regional security.