Earlier this week, the United States and Southeast Asian states convened the first iteration of a new U.S.-ASEAN Cyber Dialogue. Though it is still early days in the establishment of the mechanism, it nonetheless deserves attention given the focus placed on cyber-related issues by the United States and Southeast Asian states in recent years as well as the opportunities and challenges inherent in advancing tangible collaboration on this front.
Among the areas that has gained greater traction in U.S. and Southeast Asian circles as well as within the wider U.S.-ASEAN relationship is the cyber realm. Cyber issues have been of interest to both sides, with Southeast Asian states looking to build up their ability to manage the opportunities and challenges offered by the digital economy and the United States and other like-minded states looking to shape norms in areas such as 5G and advance capacity-building. Cyber and digital issues have also been featured in broader visions by both sides to varying degrees, be it ASEAN’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific or the U.S. free and open Indo-Pacific strategy, which has a designated Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership (DCCP) rolled out last year.
Cyber cooperation has also increasingly factored into U.S.-Southeast Asia cooperation. The United States has been collaborating with Southeast Asian states on a number of fronts related to cyber and information and communications technology more generally, be it through the U.S.-Singapore Third Country Training Program or the establishment of new cyber centers and facilities. Last November, the United States and ASEAN issued a separate AS ..
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