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.
Maria Monica Wihardja|Midzuki Low
China’s extensive investments in Southeast Asia have delivered mixed results, underscoring the importance of policies that promote productivity, positive spillovers, and innovation.
Phan Xuan Dung|Nguyen Khac Giang
China has embarked on a charm offensive in Southeast Asia in the wake of the US’ “Liberation Day” tariffs. This is unlikely to allay concerns about its regional behaviour.
Pieter E. Stek
China has led the way in providing 'open weight' large language models (LLMs) such as DeepSeek-R1. This means that governments and companies in Southeast Asia can access them more easily and cheaply.
Hoang Thi Ha
Hanoi’s welcome of the Chinese president amid the global tariff war is a harbinger of steadfast commitment to serving Vietnam’s national interests and development, rather than a picking of sides.
The State of Southeast Asia Survey 2025
Hoang Thi Ha|Eugene R.L. Tan
China has sought to paint a narrative about a peaceful situation in the South China Sea. But Southeast Asian respondents to the State of Southeast Asia Survey 2025 beg to differ.
Mara Yue Du
Xi Jinping’s vision for the “Great Rejuvenation of the Pan-Chinese Nation” and “China Dream” emphasises a shared ancestry and cultural identity among ethnic Chinese, both within China and abroad. Through “united front work,” the People’s Republic of China (PRC) thus seeks to unite “Chinese sons and daughters at home and abroad” under a common civilisational narrative. Despite its rhetoric of unity and shared heritage, however, the PRC offers limited legal and political protection to overseas Chinese.
The State of Southeast Asia Survey 2025
Sharon Seah|Eugene R.L. Tan
Despite some apprehension about its actions, Beijing continues to retain considerable weight among Southeast Asian elites. This should improve if China learns to temper its assertiveness, particularly in the South China Sea.
Alexandra Colombier
In Thailand, TikTok users have turned the depiction of illicit activity by Chinese nationals into a stylised narrative where aesthetics and humour intertwine.
Melinda Martinus
Under Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia is expected to further distance itself from traditional Western alliances — a trend initiated during Jokowi’s administration — by prioritising partnerships within Asia, particularly with China for trade and investment, and strengthening regional cooperation through ASEAN and BRICS.