Jakarta, 9 May 2025: Senior media representatives from the members of the East Asia Summit (EAS) received a deep background briefing on regional trends, including the new ASEAN Community Vision 2045, at an inaugural media caucus at the ERIA Headquarters.

The East Asia Media Caucus was launched by ERIA on 9 May to provide journalists across all platforms with insights into economic trends and policy challenges confronting the East Asian region. It also aimed to strengthen collaboration amongst media professionals, policymakers, and researchers to enhance the quality and depth of reporting on regional affairs in an age of geopolitical uncertainty.

The one-day event was divided into two sessions. The first focused on new activities and research at ERIA in recent years, covering digital transformation, energy transition, governance, and decarbonisation. During the second session, participants also discussed the prospects of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, the Myanmar quagmire, as well as pivotal issues in global economic and security developments.

In his opening remarks, ERIA COO Toru Furuichi stated that granted the current global strategic landscape, it is essential for the media to understand the emerging issues. He described the media representatives as the connectors between the policymakers and the public, adding that ERIA is committed to assist the EAS media to disseminate their reports and views efficiently.

This year, ERIA invited speakers from EAS member countries to share their views and assessments of pivotal issues impacting ASEAN. In anticipation of the upcoming announcement of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 at the 47th ASEAN Summit on 26 May in Kuala Lumpur, ERIA panellists offered insights into ASEAN’s new strategic direction.

One speaker underscored that the new vision will prepare ASEAN to be future-ready and agile in facing challenges both internally and externally. ASEAN is expected to forge united positions to promote a multilateral trading system, as economic integration remains the bloc’s top priority. It is projected that by 2030, the region’s 700-million-strong community will become the world’s fourth-largest economy.

Another panellist suggested that for ASEAN to be more efficient and effective, it should establish an independent group to monitor and follow up on trends and developments for ASEAN policymakers. This group would provide objective analyses of regional and global issues impacting ASEAN’s well-being.

On political and security cooperation, ASEAN is caught between superpower rivalries, which its members must navigate carefully. Strengthening ASEAN centrality amidst rising geopolitical tensions was highlighted as essential to achieving the objectives set by the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 for a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable ASEAN.

Speakers urged ASEAN to establish a Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone and uphold the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, which would enable it to manage relations with major powers. They also proposed developing protocols for maritime security cooperation, including dialogues and joint patrols.

The situation in Myanmar was another key topic, with panellists agreeing on the importance of ASEAN’s role in resolving the Myanmar quagmire and implementing the bloc’s Five-Point Peace Plan.

Continued engagement is key – not the full-scale sanctions advocated by the West, particularly in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake at the end of March. ASEAN and the international community have provided humanitarian assistance to Naypyidaw. Panellists stressed that any future election must be inclusive, free, and fair; otherwise, ASEAN and the international community would not accept the outcome. Naypyidaw plans to hold a general election at the end of December.

During the wrap-up session, invited participants interacted with panellists comprising senior journalists, who discussed a wide range of issues related to their media experience. These journalists shared varied stories that revealed the complexity of the issues they reported on, including ASEAN-related developments such as the South China Sea disputes and the Myanmar conflict.