The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, better known as ASEAN, is making headway in its aim to become a major player in a multipolar world. Switzerland, too, has been seeking closer ties. What lies behind the sudden interest? What is ASEAN’s role in the rivalry between China, the US and Europe? European countries have been looking more closely at the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). That’s according to Cristina de Esperanza Picardo, a research assistant for the Indo-Pacific region at Real Instituto Elcano, a think tank based in Madrid. “Global crises and mounting instability are pushing countries to look beyond their traditional economic partners, and Southeast Asia is emerging as an important region for diversification,” she says. This shift is part of Europe’s broader push to engage with the Indo-Pacific region across several areas, including security. “Due to its strategic location and overlapping territorial claims by several ASEAN states and China …