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View all search resultsPoland and ASEAN deepen a growing partnership
Poland's accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) is a clear statement that peace, dialogue and respect for international law remain the best foundations for security in an increasingly uncertain world.
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Polish ambassador to ASEAN Barbara Szymanowska (left) presents her Letter of Credence to the Secretary-General of ASEAN Kao Kim Hourn on April 2 at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta. (ASEAN Secretariat/-)
P
oland's accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), formalized on July 24 at the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Manila, marks more than a diplomatic milestone. It is a clear statement that peace, dialogue and respect for international law remain the best foundations for security in an increasingly uncertain world.
By joining the TAC, Poland joins the growing community of countries and organizations that recognize ASEAN's principles as the foundation for engaging with Southeast Asia.
Poland joined the Treaty alongside three close European partners, namely, Sweden, Romania and Lithuania. Like Poland, these countries understand that security in today's interconnected world cannot be built only within our own neighborhood. It also requires closer dialogue with trusted partners such as ASEAN, whose central role in maintaining peace and stability in Southeast Asia has never been more important.
Our engagement with ASEAN has been steadily growing. Poland maintains one of the largest diplomatic networks in the Indo-Pacific among Central European countries, with 14 embassies, six consulates general and 12 trade and investment offices. By 2025, trade between Poland and ASEAN exceeded US$13 billion annually, around 30,000 citizens of ASEAN countries - primarily from Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia - were legally employed in Poland, and more than 1,000 students from ASEAN pursued higher education at Polish universities every year.
Poland sees ASEAN not only as one of the world's fastest-growing economic regions, but also as an indispensable partner in addressing common challenges, from connectivity and digital transformation to energy transition and regional security. Having successfully transformed its economy over the past three decades, becoming the world's 20th largest economy, Poland is ready to share its experience in modernization, digital public services and sustainable growth.
The lessons of recent years, from the pandemic and supply-chain disruptions to Russia's war against Ukraine, have made one thing clear: resilience, whether economic or security-related, is built through international cooperation and begins far beyond Europe's borders.
In recent years, Poland has emerged as one of Europe's most committed and credible security partners. This is reflected not only in words, but also in action: Poland is among NATO allies with the highest levels of defense spending as a share of gross domestic product, plays a key role in strengthening the Alliance's eastern flank and has provided substantial political, military and humanitarian support to Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion. These experiences have reinforced Poland's belief that security requires solidarity, preparedness and cooperation among reliable partners – principles that also lie at the heart of ASEAN's approach to regional stability.
