Norms and Institutions

This PSIA student essay evaluates ASEAN’s normative power in the Asia Pacific region through the lens of the Indo-Pacific concept. It argues that the adoption of an ASEAN Outlook on the Indo Pacific reflects norm localization rather than the struggle between the US and China. By reframing the Indo-Pacific, ASEAN has the opportunity to break away from the narrative of “failed regionalism” and gain more agency in international relations. However, ASEAN needs to take proactive steps and develop necessary infrastructure to fully realize this potential.

This essay written by PSIA Sciences Po Student, Summer Sheridan examines whether China’s actions in the South China Sea have challenged the rules-based international order (RBIO). It concludes that while China has attempted to change certain aspects of the order, it has not fundamentally challenged the power distribution, institutional arrangements, or norms diffusion. It also suggests that China’s desire for change does not equate to a challenge to the RBIO as a whole, and it benefits from the existing order.