Abstract: The research literature related to the theme of "ASEAN" were collected from CNKI, and the keywords were normalized by unified forms, split, deletion, supplement etc. Statistical analysis, betweenness centrality analysis and aggregation subgroup analysis of high frequency keywords were adopted. It found 7 key words, such as China-ASEAN, free trade area, trade, the ASEAN countries, ASEAN, China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, the ASEAN Free Trade Area, were drawn sustained attention by academic circles. The research directions related three key words, such as China, Guangxi, Maritime Silk Road, attracted the academic attention, especially the areas related Maritime Silk Road became a hot spot in recent three years. The betweenness centrality analysis revealed the variation of research focus. 10 keywords, such as China-ASEAN, ASEAN countries, ASEAN, ASEAN Free Trade Area, China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, trade, free trade area etc., were still greater than zero. However, their control and influence were different in different periods. The betweenness centralities of key words, such as ASEAN, ASEAN market, service trade, Maritime Silk Road, interoperability, economic cooperation, regional economy, regional cooperation, reflected the variation process of some hot spots from formation to dissipation or differentiation. The agglomeration subgroup analysis identified four hot research directions in the past 13 years, such as China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, ASEAN cooperation and China-ASEAN cooperation, ASEAN market and ASEAN trade, regional economic cooperation.