ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how South-east Asian states view the Quad. It considers whether and how Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Centrality could exist alongside the Quad. The chapter analyses the trade-offs of expanding the Quad and explore the potential implications of the Quad Plus for the ASEAN-led regional security architecture. Subsequently in the third section, It explores the broader policy implications of expanding the Quad and consider options to mitigate potential adverse effects a Quad Plus arrangement might have. The chapter defines some broader conclusions about the future of the Indo-Pacific security order in light of our discussion of the Quad Plus and ASEAN centrality. An overly critical push on China might create unease for regional countries currently vulnerable to and dependent on China in terms of their economic and pandemic recovery plans. Reinventing the wheel on options to address regional security challenges without incorporating ASEAN-led mechanisms worsens the fear of Quad sceptics.
