1. Introduction

The introduction to this volume starts by pointing out the global weight of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), an interregional forum currently including 53 partners. The chapter describes why Asia-Europe relations continue to perform below their potential, and frames ASEM’s external criticism and internal hurdles in this context. In spite of numerous challenges, the chapter argues that ASEM, after two decades, remains important. It functions as a mirror of Asia-Europe relations and as a signpost of transforming interregionalism. It is also a global forum in which the USA is absent, and it is gaining importance as a gathering of not only political leaders, but also businesspeople, academic communities, civil society representatives and NGOs, parliaments, labor fora, and youth. The introduction ends with a short outline of the themes and objectives of each chapter in this volume.