It is a sign of the times that during the coronavirus pandemic countries are forging new diplomatic partnerships and reshaping existing relationships. The latest example is the UK and ASEAN, whose trading links are well established but are now set for a reboot. Last month, UK Secretary of State for International Trade Liz Truss met with her ASEAN counterparts, chaired by Vietnam’s Tran Truan Anh, 2020 Chair of the ASEAN Economic Community. Despite the UK’s long history of working alongside the Southeast Asian bloc, this was the first time their economic representatives had come together—albeit virtually. It followed the UK’s application to become a Dialogue Partner of ASEAN in June.
