Jakarta, June 26 -- ASEAN's biggest challenge remains addressing geopolitical issues such as the South China Sea dispute and the crisis in Myanmar, according to a regional affairs expert.

Joanne Lin Weiling, co-coordinator of the ASEAN Studies Centre at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, made the statement based on findings from the State of Southeast Asia 2025 survey. The survey highlights tensions in the South China Sea as the region's top geopolitical concern.

"Institutionally, ASEAN is robust and has performed well so far. However, geopolitically, it faces significant hurdles," Lin said during a seminar titled "Navigating a Fragmented Multipolar World: Can ASEAN Continue to Deliver a Balancing Act?," hosted by the Habibie...