ASEAN Faces a Tougher Balancing Act in US and China Trade Relations
Kristina Fong Siew Leng
ASEAN countries find themselves in a more delicate position trying to address US concerns while maintaining favourable relations with China.

Kristina Fong Siew Leng
ASEAN countries find themselves in a more delicate position trying to address US concerns while maintaining favourable relations with China.
Lee Hwok-Aun
While the potential for joint action may be limited, current circumstances demand that the regional bloc expand its horizons.
Stephen Olson
Trump’s “Liberation” day tariffs will hit Southeast Asia hard. Countries can hold firm and adopt appropriate countermeasures, or cut “deals” in order to reduce or eliminate the tariffs. Neither option bodes well.
The State of Southeast Asia Survey 2025
Joanne Lin|William Choong
The US president’s tough leadership, reputation as a dealmaker and expectation that he may pay more attention to the region seems to be winning over ASEAN countries.
The State of Southeast Asia Survey 2025
Sharon Seah
Some Southeast Asians appear to have warmed to Trump. This could be based on the assessment that his policies might not harm the region as much.
Sarang Shidore
Sarang Shidore suggests that deeper intra-ASEAN coordination could help the region cope amidst uncertainties surrounding US foreign policy under Trump 2.0.
Stephen Olson
Southeast Asia was spared in the initial flurry of Trumpian trade actions, but Trump’s introduction of expansive and unprecedented non-trade issues into trade relations will inevitably entangle the region.
Hoang Thi Ha
US President Donald Trump's rhetoric in past weeks has sparked a chain reaction of alarm in Southeast Asia. If his words become deeds, the region's uneven but evident bedrock of trust in the US, carefully built up since World War Two's end, could slowly turn to dust.
Stephen Olson
Amid intensifying US-China tensions under Trump, technological advancements are heightening the relevance of economic security considerations, especially for products containing dual-use technologies. This holds important implications for Southeast Asian countries deeply embedded into regional and global supply chains.
Thomas Daniel|Joanne Lin|Don McLain Gill|John Lee|Maria Monica Wihardja|Brian Eyler
The re-election of Donald Trump as the President of the US for a second term is poised to reshape the trajectory of ASEAN-US relations, bringing significant shifts across multiple domains. In December, ASEANFocus+ sought experts’ insights on how the dynamics of this partnership are expected to evolve, in areas of geopolitics, trade, the South China Sea, technological governance, energy, and environmental cooperation.