BANGKOK — Sen. Tammy Duckworth questioned whether President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for defense secretary has the “breadth and depth of knowledge” needed to lead international negotiations, asking Pete Hegseth Can you name a member of the Association of South Asian Nations, describe the types of agreements the United States has with these countries, and how many countries are in the group.

Hegseth responded during a heated Senate confirmation hearing that he could not tell Duckworth the exact number of ASEAN countries, but "I know we have allies in South Korea and Japan, we have allies in Australia with Australia," referring to An agreement between the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.

“None of these three countries are part of ASEAN,” Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois, replied. "I suggest you do some homework."

What is ASEAN? Why is it relevant to the United States?

ASEAN consists of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. An 11th country, Timor-Leste, is about to join.

It was established in 1967 with the goal of promoting regional economic and security cooperation and leveraging a population of more than 650 million and a gross domestic product of more than US$3 trillion.

Duckworth raised the issue after Hegseth noted the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific region, where China's influence is growing rapidly and Beijing has become increasingly assertive in making territorial claims.

ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei are locked in a maritime dispute with China over its claim to nearly all of the South China Sea, one of the world's most important shipping lanes. Indonesia has also expressed concern about Beijing's infringement of its exclusive economic zone.

What is the relationship between ASEAN and the US Secretary of Defense?

The United States is a treaty partner of ASEAN members Thailand and the Philippines, and Washington has sought to use ASEAN's regional influence to counter China's influence and promote what the White House calls "a free and open region that is connected, prosperous, and secure." And resilient. "

President Joe Biden has said ASEAN is "central to my administration's Indo-Pacific strategy" and hosted an ASEAN leaders' meeting in Washington in 2022.

ASEAN also holds high-level meetings every year, and this year Malaysia holds the rotating chairmanship of the organization.

Its defense meetings are usually attended by the U.S. Secretary of Defense, and its foreign ministers meetings are usually attended by the U.S. Secretary of State. These meetings culminate in an annual summit, regularly attended by the current U.S. president. Both Biden and Donald Trump participated.

Why is ASEAN so important?

Although some members have territorial conflicts with China, many ASEAN members also maintain close ties with Beijing, and top Chinese officials attend ASEAN meetings.

In 2022, the United States will elevate its relationship with ASEAN to the highest level of "comprehensive strategic partnership" - a largely symbolic status that puts Washington on the same level as China, which won the honor the previous year.

ASEAN emphasizes non-interference and personal diplomacy, and the breadth of its membership and partnerships give it a unique position as a forum for resolving major geopolitical issues.

In addition to China and the United States, ASEAN has established formal relations with Russia, India, Australia, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and many other countries.

It hosts the annual ASEAN Plus Three meetings with leaders from China, South Korea and Japan, the ASEAN Plus Six talks with leaders from Australia, India and New Zealand, and the East Asia Summit, which includes leaders from six nations including Russia and U.S.

ASEAN countries are also at the heart of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a free trade agreement signed in 2020 that created the largest trading bloc in history.

These 10 countries, plus China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, account for more than 30% of the world's population and about 30% of the world's GDP. The agreement was conceived at the 2011 ASEAN Summit and includes commitments on trade in goods and services, investment and other areas.