ASEAN risks becoming window dressing in a BRICS expansion
The Interpreter, Lowy Institute
“Expanding the bloc to include nations such as Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand appears to be a move toward a more pluralistic, multipolar world order. But the reality may be different. As BRICS includes more members, it risks becoming a soft-power club, where the inclusion of Global South nations masks the persistent structural hierarchies within the group. ASEAN countries, despite their strategic significance, may find themselves relegated to symbolic roles, serving more as diplomatic ornaments than as genuine decision-makers.”
“The ideal of multipolarity promoted by BRICS, where power is equitably shared, requires closer scrutiny. Multipolarity does not automatically lead to power redistribution. Instead, it could create a new order of dominant states that retain the capacity to shape global affairs. The inclusion of ASEAN countries in BRICS risks reinforcing the very power imbalances they aim to challenge. The rhetoric of Global South solidarity, while appealing, seems increasingly like a tool for legitimising power, rather than a sincere commitment to reshaping global power dynamics.”
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/asean-risks-becoming-window-dressing-brics-expansion