ASEAN's inability to address some of the pressing issues it faces, in addition to US President Joe Biden's absence from the 43rd ASEAN Summit with dialogue partners, which some have taken as an outright "snub", has prompted many to question the regional grouping's relevance.

As if to refute the claim that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is becoming a "toothless talking shop", Indonesia, the host of the ASEAN Summit, which concluded on Thursday, chose the theme "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth" for the summit. Southeast Asia is forecast to be the "lifeblood of international trade" by 2045, Indonesian President Joko Widodo told US Vice-President Kamala Harris during their meeting on the sidelines of the summit.

Southeast Asia, to a great extent, carries the new hope of post-pandemic recovery for being one of the brightest spots on the global economic landscape. Yet as Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, "How ASEAN responds to today's challenges will determine whether ASEAN centrality can hold in the years ahead." He correctly observed that whether the grouping retains its centrality in regional affairs hinges ultimately on how it positions itself in the face of mounting pressures of geopolitical rivalries.

Perhaps with the same thought in mind, the Indonesian president warned against ASEAN becoming a proxy for any power in his opening remarks at the summit on Tuesday, and asked major powers to not sharpen rivalries in the region. Accordingly, Widodo told Harris that their countries' "strong and sustainable partnership" can "only be realized if there is a strong commitment to maintain regional peace and stability", and urged the US to be a "positive force in creating a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific through inclusive concrete cooperation".

That's also the central message Premier Li Qiang gave in Jakarta. "What is essential now is to oppose picking sides, oppose bloc confrontation and oppose a new Cold War, ensure that disagreements and disputes among countries are properly handled," Li told ASEAN leaders. "As long as we keep to the right path, no matter what storm may come, China-ASEAN cooperation will be as firm as ever and press ahead against all odds."

Southeast Asia's recent prosperity is the fruit of peace and stability, and regional countries' focus on development. This is evident also in China-ASEAN trade, which last year crossed $970 billion, up 15 percent year-on-year. The improved trade deal the two sides agreed on and their decision to deepen cooperation on agriculture, e-commerce and finalize the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea as soon as possible will further accelerate the region's march toward greater prosperity. And that's the road forward for all countries in the region.