Kuala Lampur, May 24 -- As the world becomes increasingly bifurcated between great powers, the question arises: Where do the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and China turn to secure their interests, maintain stability, and grow their economies? The answer, more often than not, is Asean.

The preference for Asean by both the GCC and China is neither accidental nor symbolic. It is strategic. Asean offers something rare in today's international system - a zone of neutrality, strategic pragmatism, and deep economic potential.

Asean as neutral convenor in a polarised world

At a time when global summits have become arenas for ideological confrontations, Asean remains one of the few platforms where powers from East and West, North and South, ca...