The Approaches of ASEAN Countries to Data Localization: Implications for ASEAN Integration

Southeast Asia: Actual Problems of Development. 2024. Vol. 3. No. 3(64). P. 11–23.

Kanaev E.

The article analyzes the approaches of ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member states, as well as the association as an international actor, to data localization in the context of global digital transformations and ASEAN prospective plans relating to the digital support of its multilateral formats and initiatives. Salient features of contemporary global development – namely, the focus of economic actors on establishing and preserving stable environment in which economic and business activity takes place, as well as setbacks of global governance and regulatory institutions in setting the parameters of digital transformation of society – are summarized. The transformation of global value chains in the digital environment, digital support of free trade agreements and China-US contradictions on trade and technology issues are explored. Then the author turns to analyzing the association’s digital initiatives and projects and reveals notable features of approaches of selected ASEAN countries to data localization, and what implications arise for ASEAN integration plans. Form the author’s perspective, ASEAN countries that introduce direct and indirect restrictions on trans-boundary data transfers are motivated by national security considerations rather than by ASEAN focus on its multilateral projects and initiatives. As the issue has not been a area of special research in the Russian academic community, while foreign scholars address it in a fragmentary and sporadic manner, the paper contributes to the conceptualization of ASEAN integration on the eve of the establishment of the ASEAN Community 2025.

Keywords: world economy, free trade agreements, digital transformation, data localization, global value chains, regulation of digital area, ASEAN multilateral initiatives and projects