Lending has slumped and projects are stalled. Several partner countries are deep in debt, reflecting cracks in the sustainability of Beijing's lending practices.
Reforming its decision-making processes to act faster, and narrowing the economic development gap between member-states to foster more unity are steps ASEAN should take, say analysts.
“That is not the role of the President. They do not guide policies, to begin with. That’s the role of the government of today," says one political observer.
SINGAPORE, Aug 1 Former presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian might again fare poorly, as he did in 2011, if he were to contest the presidential election this year, analysts said.