Now, Asean-China relations have reached a crossroads as the previous high level of amity and trust is not strongly present. In the current international strategic landscape, the mutual respect and patience demonstrated over the first half of their over two-decade relations is increasingly to be found wanting.
Both sides face the same dilemma coming from domestic and external pressures in the age of rising nationalism and digital connectivity to produce concrete results.
More than Asean-China leaders would like to admit, they are looking for a new paradigm that would allow them to strengthen their cooperation and resolve outstanding conflicts without outside interference.
But the most frequently asked question remains whether they could do it.