Description
ASEAN members have a mixed record of success at responding to security challenges and balancing external threats. During the Cold War, member states worked together to contain Vietnamese aggression after its invasion and occupation of Cambodia. This success has not extended to the South China Sea dispute, where ASEAN claimant states have failed to generate a united response to China’s violation of maritime sovereignty. What explains ASEAN member state’s mixed record of success at balancing external threats? This article outlines the internal and external factors that impact member state ability to mobilise ASEAN to balance against a common security threat. Through an examination of state capabilities, state allies, and ASEAN institutional constraints, the paper demonstrates the important role of the target state for institutional balancing. In doing so, it presents an original contribution to both neorealist and institutional realist theory.
