Abstract: After the Cold War,the Association of Southeast Asian Nations （ASEAN） was formed to maintain regional security and order. In light of scarcity of existing theoretic research on this subject,this paper suggests a structure+mechanism explanation path from the perspective of sociology. End of the Cold War put an end to the security and order in the Eastern Asia previously dominated by the super powers,leaving a political chance to the regional powers to construct new regional security and order. Seizing the chance,the ASEAN promoted formation of pluralist regional security and order with itself as the center by transforming its long-accumulated capital advantages into social capital and expanding its own principles to security norms in the whole Eastern Asia through its social skills such as framework reshape and intermediary liaison.

Key words: the Association of Southeast Asian Nations （ASEAN）, capital advantage, political chance, social skill, regional order