The 10-nation Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) is looking to deepen neighborly ties with China and advance the Chinese-proposed concept of a community of shared future to improve global governance, said experts in Malaysia.
On a special China Global Television Network (CGTN) program "Power of Ideas: A China-ASEAN Dialogue," Koh King Kee, president of the Center for New Inclusive Asia, a non-government Malaysian think tank, underscored that ASEAN countries should continue to strengthen bilateral economic and people-to-people exchanges.
"I think the community of shared future is a concept promoted by China for global governance. It is interesting that of late Beijing has promoted this idea of a good neighborhood policy, more recently. ASEAN, of course, is a very close neighbor. ASEAN countries are very close neighbors of China, and we have a very long historical relation, and we are close in terms of economic and as well as people-to-people bond," Koh said.
Ong Tee Keat, president of the Belt and Road Initiative Caucus for Asia Pacific, emphasized that the current global dynamics have created an opportune moment for promoting the concept of a community with a shared future.
"So far, to my understanding, there are eight out of 10 ASEAN member states (that) have endorsed the partnership of a community with a shared future with China. At this juncture, perhaps it is good for us to explore the possibility of fostering such a partnership, which is very timely," Ong said.
China has been ASEAN's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, while ASEAN has been China's largest trading partner for the past five years.
ASEAN countries see "timely" exploration of deeper ties with China: experts
Amid the rising fuel costs and airline surcharges linked to the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, Caribbean tourism officials gathered at the 44th Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association Forum this month and expressed cautious optimism, citing resilient visitor demand, strategic marketing adjustments, and strong seasonal performance as foundations for continued recovery.
The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran is already affecting Caribbean economies as fuel prices surge and airlines pass costs on to passengers. This not only pressures the region's tourism-dependent economies but also raises the cost of imported food, electricity, and transportation.
Since the start of the conflict, the price of Brent crude has surged nearly 50 percent, prompting airlines to find the ways to share the burden with travelers.
"The impacts are unfolding in stages. In the first place, when the uncertainty, or the disturbance occurred in the Middle Eastern region, it actually cut the supply chain to some extent to the Pacific, and people started to look at the region in particular. We amplified out marketing presence, to ensure that when people are looking for an option or places to rebook, that St. Lucia would turn up. And we've actually seen some of that result," said Louis Lewis, chief executive officer of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority.
During the International Monetary Fund's Spring Meeting, the international financial institution expressed its concern for Caribbean tourism, warning that it could see a decline as ticket prices increase.
Lewis acknowledged the potential for longer-term disruption.
"The second thing is that if the conflict continues as a prolonged activity, we anticipate that it could impact us. We will have to diversify from our major source markets, hence the reason why we are looking at Latin America," he said.
But some of the region's top tourism officials are seeing positive signs. The region is coming off another successful year, where tourism arrivals grew by 2.5 percent, adding an additional 900,000 visitors over 2024.
"The region has been witnessing a very good winter season, and I have no doubt whatsoever that the forecast that we have for the summer will continue to be very strong," said Ian Gooding-Edghill, minister of tourism of Barbados.
Still, structural vulnerabilities remain. As an import-dependent region, the Caribbean is highly exposed to global price fluctuations. Concerns are mounting that rising prices in the United States could trigger sharper inflationary pressures, including higher operating costs in the tourism sector.
"In Saint Lucia, we just saw the cost of energy increase about 20 percent, and that's having an impact now going into the summer when our rates are lower. It rallies points to the importance of us building a bit more resilience into Caribbean tourism," said Sanovnik Destang, president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association.
Caribbean tourism shows resilience despite Middle East tension challenges
