If the U.S. and China’s stated goals in both the G20 and the EAS hold true, Southeast Asian countries stand to benefit greatly. As is readily apparent in Myanmar, countries in the region no longer desire to be pawns in a geopolitical economic game, but rather collaborative partners to ensure fair benefits.

For Southeast and East Asia to have a favorable architecture, wherein all nations could aspire to common development and prosperity, it is necessary for both the U.S. and China to work closely with each other and with ASEAN.

China and the U.S. are waging a bitter but so far nonviolent struggle in Burma. And the U.S. appears to be winning. For Burma, opening to the West was the answer; sanctions were eased, Western leaders rushed to visit, and business investment flowed in.