ASEAN Secretary-General Calls for Unity and Openness in the Indo-Pacific at Inaugural ERIA–ASEAN AOIP Lecture

Jakarta, 9 July 2026: The Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), through its School of Government (SoG), hosted its first ERIA-ASEAN AOIP Lecture, featuring a keynote address by H.E. Dr Kao Kim Hourn, the 15th Secretary-General of ASEAN. The lecture centred on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), a framework adopted in 2019 that guides how ASEAN engages with the wider Indo-Pacific region through openness, inclusiveness, dialogue, and mutual respect.

The lecture was followed by the ERIA-JIIA FOIP-AOIP Special Symposium, marking the 10th anniversary of Japan's Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision. The symposium brought together experts to discuss how AOIP and FOIP, two closely related regional visions, can work more closely together amid today's fast-changing global landscape.

In his opening remarks, Professor Nobuhiro Aizawa, Dean and Managing Director of the ERIA School of Government, said it was a great honour to welcome Secretary-General Dr Kao. He highlighted the growing importance of ASEAN having a stronger voice in shaping regional and global affairs, and the need to reinforce the Indo-Pacific as a space for dialogue, co-operation, and inclusive engagement. 'The Indo-Pacific region has benefited from relative peace and stability; hence, the time has come to set the norms and approaches that the Indo-Pacific region has carefully designed and implemented while addressing the key challenge to uphold and to enhance our regional stability and resilience collectively,' said Prof. Aizawa at ERIA's Office in Jakarta.

Tetsuya Watanabe, President of ERIA, highlighted the significance of the occasion: 'It is timely to reflect on how the AOIP can better address today's challenges while reinforcing ASEAN Centrality. Through the launch of the ERIA-ASEAN AOIP Lecture Series, an initiative born directly from the vision of Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn, ERIA is proud to provide a platform that amplifies Southeast Asia's regional perspective. Our objective is to strengthen ASEAN's agency in shaping regional and global narratives and reinforce the Indo-Pacific as a strategic space for dialogue, co-operation, and inclusive engagement,' said President Watanabe.

In his keynote address, Dr Kao Kim Hourn called on the region to move beyond rigid rivalry between major powers, focusing instead on active engagement and independent decision-making, while remaining open to working constructively with all partners. 'This approach is articulated in the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), which offers an inclusive framework for practical co-operation and affirms our commitment to openness, inclusivity, and rules-based co-operation,' he explained.

Secretary-General Dr Kao underscored that as the region navigates geopolitical competition, economic fragmentation, and maritime supply chain vulnerabilities, exemplified by disruptions at global chokepoints, the true strength of the regional framework lies in practical co-operation across sustainable infrastructure, digital transformation, and economic security. He highlighted that ASEAN and Japan have already successfully addressed approximately 81% of the action lines in their joint Implementation Plan, proving that lasting regional order is built on the ability of different co-operative visions to find a common purpose.

The lecture and symposium were attended by ambassadors, diplomatic representatives from Indo-Pacific partner nations, ASEAN-related stakeholders, and academics from leading universities.

Through this new lecture series, ERIA aims to connect high-level policy dialogue with in-depth research, helping the region navigate today's geopolitical changes together.