Prospects for Interregional Collaboration in Central Asia and

Southeast Asia

Tolibova S. R.

Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Keywords: Central Asian Region, Economic Relations, Development, Countries of Southeast Asia.

Abstract: The article highlights the critical role of fostering international cooperation to maintain and enhance peace

and stability in Central Asia. It emphasises the need to strengthen mutually beneficial relations between

Central and Southeast Asian countries. By collaborating on economic, political, and security issues, these

regions can address shared challenges and promote regional development. The article argues that such

cooperation is essential for ensuring long-term stability and prosperity. It discusses various initiatives and

frameworks that can support these efforts, including diplomatic dialogues, trade agreements, and joint security

measures. The importance of inclusive and sustainable development is also underscored as a means to prevent

conflicts and build trust among nations. Ultimately, the article calls for a comprehensive approach to regional

cooperation, highlighting its potential to create a more peaceful and prosperous future for Central and

Southeast Asia.

1 INTRODUCTION

In recent years, the Central Asian countries have been

paying special attention to the formation of an

environment of peace, stability and security in the

region, as well as the development of close

neighbourhoods and mutually beneficial relations in

their foreign policy. In this regard, along with

cooperation with permanent trading partners (CIS

countries, China, USA, Turkey, Korea, etc.), the

countries of the region pay great attention to

strengthening mutually beneficial relations with other

developed countries in Asia.

In recent years, the processes of regional

integration have created a number of facilities for

ensuring mutual economic relations between the

countries of the world. In this regard, with the

acceleration of integration processes in Central Asia

and interregional cooperation, Southeast Asian

countries and their regional organization - the

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are

increasingly considered as such potential partners.

https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3288-8003

2 ANALYSIS

The cooperation between the countries of Central

Asia and the ASEAN organization goes back to the

long history of the Great Silk Road. It can be said that

both regions have their own characteristics,

similarities and differences. This can be explained as

follows:

▪ Geographical location is one of the important

factors determining the priorities and goals of

their foreign policy. Central Asia and

Southeast Asia are geostrategically and

geopolitically unique regions. In particular,

Central Asia in the Eurasian region, and

Southeast Asia in the Asia-Pacific region are

such geopolitical regions.

▪ ASEAN countries are one of the major

economic centres of the world. As of 2017,

their GDP was 2.8 trillion. dollar and the

annual growth was 4.7%. South-East Asian

countries occupy the fourth place among

exporting regions (7% of world exports), and

as one of the global centres of world

consumers, 5% of international imports come

here. In particular, according to 2018, the

GDP of the Central Asian countries

S. R., T.

Prospects for Interregional Collaboration in Central Asia and Southeast Asia.

DOI: 10.5220/0012975100003882

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd Pamir Transboundary Conference for Sustainable Societies (PAMIR-2 2023), pages 1453-1455

ISBN: 978-989-758-723-8

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amounted to 286 billion dollars, while in

2019 this figure increased to 1,026 billion

dollars.

▪ In the system of foreign relations, both

regions have the same interests in the fight

against religious extremism, terrorism,

organized crime and drug trafficking;

▪ The presence of economic potential and

demographic diversity in the countries of

both regions;

▪ The countries of Central Asia are one of the

oldest places of civilization, inhabited by

representatives of many ethnicities and many

religious beliefs. Such a similarity can be

seen in the countries of South-East Asia;

▪ The presence of commonalities in the

religion, spiritual world, customs and

traditions of people of Southeast and Central

Asia serves to develop mutually beneficial

relations.

As noted by Frederic Starr, a well-known American

expert on Central Asia, "Central Asia is geopolitically

important for the countries of Southeast Asia, because

the region is surrounded by nuclear powers and is a

connecting link between great powers in international

relations". ASEAN countries are also interested in the

development of stability in Central Asia, and this can

be done through constructive cooperation that helps

prevent economic dependence or external hegemony

in Central Asia [2. P.2-3]. In turn, Central Asia sees

the ASEAN countries as a market with wide

opportunities for its products and interesting investor

countries.

Both regions are interested in avoiding the

influence of actor states and economic dependence in

their foreign policy, encouraging new market

opportunities, and expanding the geography of

cooperation. The cooperation between the countries

of Central Asia and the ASEAN organization started

in the early period of independence and the relations

continue consistently.

Both regions are active in International relations

and have a long historical connection. In recent years,

as a result of the meetings of the heads of government

of the countries of the two regions, inter-

parliamentary cooperation, political activity of the

embassy and friendship societies, the cooperative

relations of the countries of Central Asia and the

ASEAN organization have taken a new form.

Nevertheless, the cooperative relations between the

countries of Central and South-East Asia have

developed differently in terms of the countries, the

areas of cooperation established by them and in the

years. The countries of Central Asia have cooperative

relations in the economic, socio-political and cultural-

humanitarian spheres with the leading countries of the

Southeast Asian region, such as Singapore, Malaysia

and Indonesia.

The development of relations between the

countries of Central Asia, in particular, the Republic

of Uzbekistan, and each ASEAN member state has

specific goals and objectives determined by political

and economic conditions [4. P. 75-77]. It should be

noted here that the distance between the countries of

Central Asia and South-East Asia has an effect on

mutual economic relations. Especially, the

development of cooperation in this regard with

Uzbekistan, which has no access to the sea, is getting

complicated.

In recent years, as a result of the initiatives of the

governments of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to

liberalize the economy and build a more open,

internationally integrated and competitive market

economy among the countries of Central Asia, trade

and economic relations with the countries of

Southeast Asia have entered a new stage of

development. (See table).

Table 1: Trade of ASEAN and Central Asian countries

(million USA).

Countries

2015 year

2020 year

ASEAN

1737481,4

2096728,8

Kazakhstan

331,5

689,2

Kyrgyzstan

9,5

6,1

Tajikistan

3,9

Turkmenistan

56,3

13,1

Uzbekistan

153,0

234,6

Source: https://data.aseanstats.org/(25.05.20)

It can be seen that in 2015, the mutual trade volume

between the countries of Central and Southeast Asia

amounted to 554.2 million US dollars, and by 2020,

it had increased to 947 million US dollars. This shows

that the trade turnover has doubled in five years. In

2020, the economic crisis caused by the pandemic led

to significant changes in these indicators. It can be

seen in the table that there is economic activity in

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan from Central Asian

countries. However, in relations with Kyrgyzstan,

Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, this situation remains

relatively lower. However, in the future, there are

opportunities for further development of cooperation

between the countries of Central and South-East Asia.

In particular, the creation of the format "ASEAN+5"

(ASEAN countries + Central Asia) and the scope of

this format is the "Roadmap" for the official meetings

of the heads of government of Central Asia and

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ASEAN countries, the development of political,

trade-economic, investment cooperation,

development, strengthening cooperation within the

framework of China's "One Belt, One Road" (BRI)

project, applying the rich experience of Singapore

and Indonesia to the diversification and

modernization of the economy in Central Asian

countries, agriculture and fisheries with Vietnam and

Cambodia. It is desirable to improve the food industry

and develop the food industry under the "halal" brand

with Malaysia, in turn, to create new opportunities for

the export of cars, dried fruits and other national

products to these countries.

It should be noted that the events which are taking

place in the international arena today have a direct

impact on interregional relations, as well as on

conducting a mutually reliable and beneficial, open

and pragmatic foreign policy, as well as on economic,

cultural and humanitarian relations. In the current

period of such political complexity, there are the main

factors that contribute to the activation of relations

between the two regions, which are as follows:

• The desire of Central Asian countries to

strengthen relations with South-East Asian

countries and diversify their economic

partners.

• The West's shift towards East Asia following

the sanctions against Russia is encouraging

the strengthening of relations between

Central and South-East Asia.

• The central role of Central Asia in China's

Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has attracted

the attention of Southeast Asian countries

seeking access to Central Asian and

European markets.

• The ASEAN model is recognized as one of

the important directions in the integration of

Central Asia.

3 CONCLUSIONS

In general, at the moment of intense struggle and

clash of interests, it is necessary to develop specific

measures to further develop the political and trade-

economic relations of both regions and to strengthen

interregional cooperation. In this case, the similarity

of the principles in the foreign policy of the countries

of the region, the harmony of approaches and views

on all issues in international relations, and the support

of the principles of peace-loving, equality, openness,

and constructiveness in relations is the basis of

cooperation between the countries of Central and

South-East Asia, and also this serves for equal

development. In our opinion, the use of the

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

model will be beneficial in the integration of Central

Asia in the future.

REFERENCES

Rangsimaporn, P. (2022, August 18). Uzbekistan and

Southeast Asia: Exploring the opportunities for

strengthening relations. Silk Road Journal.

Starr, S. F. (2017, November 6). Why Central Asia counts.

Middle East Insights (National University of

Singapore), (175), 2-3.

Safoev, S. S. (2005). Geopolitics in Central Asia. Tashkent:

Patent Press.

Sharapov, A. A. (2020). Integration processes in the Asia-

Pacific region. Ownership and right. Tashkent.

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