Unpacked: The EU in the Indo-Pacific: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Asia

#fesasiavlog – 3 questions, 3 answers, 3 minutes

FES brings together thought leaders from Asia and Europe to discuss the role of the European Union in the Indo-Pacific. The Indo-Pacific is widely considered to be the most important geopolitical theatre of the 21st century. The future international order, security, trade and the global economy will be decisively shaped by developments in this region. The launch of Indo-Pacific strategies and guidelines by France, Germany and the Netherlands and conclusions by the EU foreign ministers speak to the strategic relevance of this vast space stretching from the east coast of Africa to the Pacific island states. Our FES experts and partners discuss the EU’s role in the region and share their understanding of the nuances.

08 - Dr Steven Blockmans, CEPS, Brussels

“What happens in the Indo-Pacific does not stay in the Indo-Pacific”, stresses Dr Steven Blockmans, Research Director at the Centre for European Policy Studies in Brussels. Whether it is maritime security, freedom of... More

07 - Australia: Hervé Lemahieu

“Australia needs allies and partners if it hopes to revitalize and strengthen the international rules-based order. That is where Europe offers the greatest value and acquires much greater importance for Canberra”, says... More

06 - Bangladesh: Dr M Abu Eusuf

“In the aftermath of COVID, we may also see the rise of new leaders in supply chains”, says Dr M Abu Eusuf, Professor at the University of Dhaka and Executive Director of Research and Policy Integration for Development... More

05 - Singapore: Dr Yeo Lay Hwee

Singapore and the EU enjoy a strong partnership on several fronts, including on the economic front as well as in promoting multilateralism. Dr Yeo Lay Hwee, Director of the European Union Centre in Singapore, shares her... More

04 - Thailand: Dr Thitinan Pongsudhirak

The ASEAN region is in the spotlight of the evolving US-China rivalry. What role does the EU play in the region and Thailand in particular? Dr Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Professor and Director of the Institute of Security... More

03 - Malaysia: Liew Chin Tong

Why is Malaysia wary of the term Indo-Pacific? Liew Chin Tong, Malaysian Senator and former Deputy Defence Minister, gives us a glimpse of what the EU’s presence in the Indo-Pacific mean for Malaysia and what they hope... More

02 - India: Prof C Raja Mohan

“The EU has a big role in structuring a new, more secure and more stable order in the Indo-Pacific”, says Prof C Raja Mohan, Director of the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore. He... More

01 - EU Ambassador Barbara Plinkert, Singapore

In our first episode, Ambassador Barbara Plinkert, Head of the EU Delegation to Singapore, shares her perspectives on why the European Union needs a strategy for the region and tells us how it intends to work with... More

Vlog launch

In April 2021, the European Council adopted its conclusions on the Indo-Pacific. It is expected that a fully-fledged EU strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific will be presented by September. In the months leading... More