Sajjad Ashraf, Former Adjunct Professor, National University of Singapore
Mar 15, 2022
America finally issued a broad statement on its Indo-Pacific strategy, predictably addressing concerns about China’s influence and spelling out its intention to play into its allies' favor. Meanwhile, ASEAN must respond to the latest development to retain their own autonomy and stability in what many are sure to see as rising tensions.
Richard Javad Heydarian, Professorial Chairholder in Geopolitics, Polytechnic University of the Philippines
Feb 26, 2022
India is stepping up to seek out stronger relationships with Southeast Asian countries, showing that China is not the only nation in the Pacific region that can provide boons and benefits to friendly partners.
Zhang Monan, Senior Fellow, China Center for International Economic Exchanges
Feb 16, 2022
Washington intends to shed its reliance on multilateral mechanisms and form a new economic framework based on bilateral consultations. The IPEF is more of a contract aimed at solving particular issues than an agreement to ratchet up economic integration. And, of course, it aims to dent China’s influence.
Sajjad Ashraf, Former Adjunct Professor, National University of Singapore
Feb 08, 2022
ASEAN is the crossroads of the Pacific, and one of the world’s most strategically valuable trade routes. Their high volume of trade with both the U.S. and China put them at the intersection of something else - the escalating struggle between the two superpowers for global supremacy.
Lucio Blanco Pitlo III, Research Fellow, Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress
Oct 18, 2021
The AUKUS defense agreement continues to shake up relations in Southeast Asia, as the nations caught between Australia and China move to protect stability in the region as the staredown between the U.S. and China intensifies.
Yang Wenjing, Chief of US Foreign Policy, Institute of Contemporary International Relations
Sep 06, 2021
An abundance of examples show that countries in Southeast Asia want to develop beneficial relationships with both the U.S. and China. Thus, the U.S. hedge against China in the region is doomed to fail, despite the best efforts of visiting American officials.
Tao Wenzhao, Honorary Member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Fellow, CASS Institute of American Studies
Aug 18, 2021
The United States has been unsuccessful in its attempts to rally Southeast Asia against China. In recent months, it has mounted a transparent effort to curry favor in the region. But nobody wants to choose between major trading powers. They’d rather keep their options open.
Liu Chang, Assistant Research Fellow, Department for American Studies, CIIS
Jul 16, 2021
While the U.S. pays lip service to the notion that ASEAN is at the core of the Indo-Pacific region, U.S. actions show it is side-stepping to another direction. By contrast, China’s attitude toward Southeast Asia looks much more sincere.
Ma Shikun, Senior Journalist, the People’s Daily
Jul 16, 2021
The idea that ASEAN countries rely on the U.S. for security and on China for economy may be overstated. What is true is that they benefit from cooperation with China under the principle of mutual benefit and reciprocity, and they don’t want to rock the boat.
Richard Javad Heydarian, Professorial Chairholder in Geopolitics, Polytechnic University of the Philippines
May 28, 2021
ASEAN has long been a platform for dialogue and multilateralism in Asia. But it now must refocus on leadership development and proactive cooperation in order to de-escalate tensions and promote stability in the ASEAN region.