Chen Jimin, Guest Researcher, Center for Peace and Development Studies, China Association for International Friendly Contact
Jul 27, 2023
America’s Indo-Pacific Strategy is not only at odds with the regional vision to which ASIAN is committed but it affects the region’s development environment. As a result, ASEAN will steer a middle course to protect its central role.
Richard Javad Heydarian, Professorial Chairholder in Geopolitics, Polytechnic University of the Philippines
Jun 29, 2023
Amid rising tensions between the United States and China in Asian waters, ASEAN nations, led by Indonesia, are intensifying their efforts to manage and diffuse the military tensions. Initiatives such as the Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo (MNEK) and joint naval drills aim to engage both superpowers and promote dialogue. ASEAN states are strengthening their defensive positions while pursuing diplomatic engagement to ensure regional stability.
Lili Yan Ing, Secretary General of the International Economic Association
Jun 19, 2023
The recent G7 summit in Hiroshima and the subsequent G20 tourism meeting in Kashmir underscored the stark contrast between the two groups’ rhetoric. While
Sajjad Ashraf, Former Adjunct Professor, National University of Singapore
Dec 02, 2022
ASEAN toes a delicate balancing act between China and the United States, and the latest ASEAN Summit demonstrates the complexities involved in steering clear of unnecessary tensions.
Brian Wong, Assistant Professor in Philosophy, HKU and Rhodes Scholar
Dec 02, 2022
Indonesia famously played host to Joe Biden and Xi Jinping’s first face-to-face meeting of Biden’s presidency; a milestone in the great power rivalry between East and West. Historically, Indonesia has also been the site of another major international summit - the Bandung Conference which produced a network of “non-aligned” states. Each of these events is a mirror of our modern times as Southeast Asia’s medium-sized powers seek to navigate a contentious climate between the U.S. and China’s competing influences.
Lucio Blanco Pitlo III, Research Fellow, Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation
Jun 30, 2022
The IPEF - a U.S.-initiated trade and development partnership - is poised to bring in enthusiastic participation from several nations in the Asia-Pacific region. Notably, Southeast Asian states are well represented among members, giving the U.S. considerable influence right in China’s backyard.
Richard Weitz, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute
Jun 14, 2022
The Biden administration is prioritizing its foreign policy strategy in Asia by extensive outreach and alliances in the region. Strategic partnerships with other countries, particularly in the Indo-Pacific , are crucial for the U.S. to keep up with China’s growth in the region.
Wang Wan, Director of Peking University’s Institute of International Strategic Studies
Jun 10, 2022
The IPEF attempts to placate those who oppose free trade in the Indo-Pacific region while also constraining China. But China is the biggest trading partner for most IPEF countries, so the attempt to encircle China on trade is tantamount to encircling its own members.
Li Jianwei, Director and Research Fellow, National Institute for South China Sea Studies
Jun 07, 2022
Whether or not bilateral relations will enter a new era depends, in particular, on what the U.S. can offer. Peace and development is ASEAN’s main concern. A strategy designed to force members to side with the U.S. or China will not be welcomed.
Nie Wenjuan, Deputy Director of Institute of International Relations, China Foreign Affairs University
May 31, 2022
At the gathering in Washington, China was the elephant in the room. While it’s too soon to say which side has the upper hand in Southeast Asia, the summit offered a glimpse of how the competition will unfold.