Why Switzerland Is Launching A Charm Offensive In Southeast Asia

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, better known as ASEAN, is making headway in its aim to become a major player in a multipolar world. Switzerland, too, has been seeking closer ties. What lies behind the sudden interest? Select your language

Generated with artificial intelligence. Listening: Why Switzerland is launching a charm offensive in Southeast Asia This content was published on May 25, 2026 - 09:11 9 minutes

I lead the Spanish-language team at SWI swissinfo, which involves ensuring the quality of our publications and making them understandable for Spanish-speaking people from more than 20 countries. I'm also part of a team of journalists specialising in foreign affairs. Explaining current events and its relations with Switzerland is an essential part of my task. Senior journalist with over 30 years of experience in investigative journalism, broadcasting, multimedia content production and social media distribution.

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What is ASEAN's role in the rivalry between China, the US and Europe?

European countries have been looking more closely at the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). That's according to Cristina de Esperanza Picardo, a research assistant for the Indo-Pacific region at Real Instituto Elcano, a think tank based in Madrid.“Global crises and mounting instability are pushing countries to look beyond their traditional economic partners, and Southeast Asia is emerging as an important region for diversification,” she says.

This shift is part of Europe's broader push to engage with the Indo-Pacific region across several areas, including security.“Due to its strategic location and overlapping territorial claims by several ASEAN states and China in the South China Sea, Southeast Asia is one of the region's key areas of tension,” says Picardo.

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