Kuala Lampur, Sept. 23 -- When the European Union unveiled its Global Gateway strategy in 2021, it marked more than just another European development initiative.

It was, in essence, a statement of intent-an acknowledgment that infrastructure, sustainability, and connectivity are now as central to geopolitics as military power or trade policy.

The Global Gateway seeks to mobilize more than €300 billion in smart, clean, and secure investments through a "Team Europe" approach, which brings together EU institutions, member states, and financial institutions. For Asean, which sits at the nexus of global trade and great-power competition, this is an opportunity that cannot be ignored.

The Global Gateway is ambitious in scope. It target...