Stephen Olson is a Visiting Senior Fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute and a Non-Resident Fellow and Visiting Lecturer at the Yeutter Institute of International Trade. Olson is a member of the World Economic Forum Global Futures Council on Trade and co-leads a joint workstream on geopolitics and trade. He began his career in Washington DC as a US trade negotiator.
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Stephen Olson
Articles by Stephen Olson (22)
US Midterm Elections Serve as Bellwether for Southeast Asia
Stephen Olson
The Democrats are poised to gain control of the two houses of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections. If this happens, there could be a glimmer of hope for Southeast Asian countries dependent on exporting to the vast US market.
As Trump and Xi Prepare to Meet, What Should Southeast Asia be Watching?
Stephen Olson
The upcoming Trump-Xi summit will not settle any “Grand Bargain”, but what happens to the year-long US-China trade truce will have implications for Southeast Asia.
What Do the US Forced Labour Tariffs Mean for Southeast Asia?
Stephen Olson
Faced with possible US forced labour tariffs, Southeast Asian countries should remember that the Trump administration’s underlying objectives are to reconstitute the reciprocal tariff regime, discourage economic linkages with China and reduce trade surpluses with the US.
How Should Southeast Asia Respond to Carney’s Davos Clarion Call?
Stephen Olson
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney posited that the world order was not experiencing a “transition” but rather a “rupture” from the global system established in the aftermath of the Second World War. For Southeast Asia, and its primary institutional forum – ASEAN – this means recognising that some of its most cherished principles might no longer be entirely valid and reassessing traditional assumptions about regional cohesion and commonality of interests.
A Very Stable Summit: Southeast Asia’s Best Hope for the Trump-Xi Meeting
Stephen Olson
The US and China will prioritise stability amid internal economic pressures and global volatility — presenting more opportunity for Southeast Asia to diversify trade and investment beyond the superpowers.