Southeast Asia’s coalition of small-to-medium sized nations have hosted superpower conflicts, yet they are overshadowed by larger regional powers on the global stage time and time again. American leadership will struggle to find welcoming allies there without a drastic upgrade in its dealings with ASEAN member nations.

China on Friday acknowledged for the first time that it is communicating with the United States about the case of Ling Wancheng, the brother of a one-time senior aide to then President Hu Jintao, in a case that could complicate ties.