Problems of forming economic security strategies for ASEAN countries in geopolitical instability

The subject of the study is the transformation of economic security strategies in the context of geopolitical instability and its impact on the development of ASEAN countries. The focus of the analysis is the evolution of the economic security concept as a system for ensuring sustainable development, sovereignty, and competitiveness of states. The study covers the processes of geopolitical fragmentation, escalation of trade wars, neo-protectionism, and technological gaps that have created a new environment for the functioning of national economies. Special attention is given to the strategies of major powers aimed at controlling critical technologies and protecting supply chains. The relationship between these strategies and the worsening of the "middle-income trap" for Southeast Asian economies, which depend on integration into global value chains and access to technology through foreign direct investment, is analyzed. The methodological basis consists of a comprehensive approach that includes a comparative analysis of the strategies of major powers and ASEAN countries, a review of key sources, and conceptual modeling of an economic security management framework. The study establishes and conceptually justifies a direct relationship between the transformation of economic security strategies of leading powers and the exacerbation of the "middle-income trap" phenomenon for developing economies in Southeast Asia. A comparative analysis of economic security strategies of both developed countries and ASEAN states reveals a critical asymmetry, as they have not yet developed a comprehensive and coordinated economic security strategy. A conceptual framework for economic security management for developing ASEAN countries is proposed, based on the principles of prevention, complexity, adaptability, and balancing economic openness with the protection of strategic interests. It is shown that the geopolitical competition of major powers creates fundamentally different conditions for countries in the region compared to those under which previous generations of successful East Asian economies modernized. The conclusion is made that ASEAN's ability to develop and implement a comprehensive economic security strategy, based on regional cooperation, diversification of partners, and investment in human capital, will be a determining factor for ensuring sustainable economic development in the region amid increasing geopolitical instability.