In a world anxious over the impact of the US-China trade war, ASEAN moves to become an epicenter of the global market. Former Asean secretary general Ong Keng Yong said ASEAN members need to promote ASEAN centrality amid global tensions. Ong, who is also the executive deputy chairman of RSIS, said, “ASEAN needs [to maintain] devotion to rule of law, Treaty of Amity and Cooperation that peacefully settles disputes on sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as multilateralism.”