Cooperation in cyber defense is immediately advantageous but also aligns with the principles of the ASEAN Charter in that it preserves the sovereignty of its member nations while also ensuring the region’s autonomy in the future. Although ASEAN has generated significant cyber military forces and made steps to integrate them in ACICE and the ACDN, there must be greater investment and serious attention towards regional cyber defense cooperation and information sharing. Learning from each other would help members to adopt more comprehensive and effective policies on cyber defense and connect and strengthen diverse organizations within states. It would also bolster individual capacities to resist foreign espionage through intelligence sharing and help build regional identity and solidarity.

Gavin Harris is a student at the University of Texas at Austin studying International Relations and Global Studies. He has research interests in Indo-Pacific affairs, cyber policy, and ethical, efficient defense systems.

This article was first published by RealClearDefense.

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