ARTICLES

5 Jun 2024

Southeast Asia and Trump 2.0(?): Agency Amid Anxiety

Ford Hart

Southeast Asian countries exercised significant agency in protecting their geopolitical interests during Donald Trump’s presidential administration. They would be likely to do so again if there were a second.

U.S. President Joe Biden meets with Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese foreign minister, at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Oct. 27, 2023. (Photo by Liu Jie / XINHUA / Xinhua via AFP)

1 Nov 2023

China-U.S. High-Level Dialogues: A Welcome Uptick but a Long Road Ahead

William Choong

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s recent meeting with U.S. President Joseph R. Biden in Washington indicates that high-level exchanges between the two powers are gaining momentum. But there is still a long way to go.

China China-U.S. Relations U.S. U.S. Foreign Policy

21 Sep 2023

Biden Administration and Southeast Asia: Realpolitik the Name of the Game

Hoang Thi Ha|Cha Hae Won

As competition with China becomes an organising principle of American foreign policy, realpolitik is the name of the game in U.S. engagement with Southeast Asia.

U.S. U.S. Foreign Policy U.S.-ASEAN Relations

23 Aug 2023

Enhancing U.S. Influence In Southeast Asia: Proof is in The Pudding

Daljit Singh

A joint report calling for Washington to adopt a more nuanced approach to Southeast Asia is sensible. The challenge, however, lies in the implementation of its recommendations.

ASEAN-U.S. Relations U.S. U.S. Foreign Policy

13 Feb 2023

Washington and Southeast Asia in 2023: How Devolving Power to Line Agencies Might Make a Difference

Zack Cooper

Although much attention has focused on the shift in power from Democrats to Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, the empowering of line departments and agencies to take more responsibility for Asia policy could be just as important. And it could prove to be a good thing for the region.

U.S. U.S. Foreign Policy U.S.-ASEAN Relations

20 Jan 2023

Avoiding Divots in the U.S. Pivot to Asia

William Choong

While the Americans have made noticeable progress in their “pivot” to Asia, the crux of successful regional engagement rests on Washington’s ability to work with and around China’s indisputable links and influence in this part of the world, while managing its own relationship with Beijing.

Indo-Pacfic U.S. U.S. Foreign Policy

22 Dec 2022

When the Rule-Maker Breaks the Rules

Zack Cooper

The United States often stresses the need to uphold the rules-based international order. With its recent economic actions, however, the advocate of the rules may be guilty of undermining them.

China-U.S. Relations U.S. U.S. Foreign Policy

16 Nov 2022

The G20 Summit: Who Makes the World’s Rules?

Zack Cooper

The Group of 7 are relatively aligned in their perceptions of global challenges, particularly when it comes to strategic competitors such as China and Russia, but the same perceptions do not hold true when it comes to the remaining members of the bigger Group of 20.

G20 G7 U.S. Foreign Policy

28 Oct 2022

The Fundamental Tension in Biden’s National Security Strategy

Zack Cooper

Washington’s new National Security Strategy has been carefully crafted, but the document hosts a number of inherent tensions. Foremost among them is the fact that putting democracy at the center of a strategy that is increasingly Asia-focused is ill-advised.

China-U.S. Relations Security U.S. Foreign Policy

12 Oct 2022

What the New U.S. Ambassador to ASEAN Can Do

Joanne Lin

Ambassador Abraham’s new mandate in ASEAN, at these most challenging of times, will be extremely vital. He must cultivate strategic trust, and balance the interests of ten diverse countries against the U.S.’ vested interests in the Indo-Pacific.

ASEAN ASEAN-U.S. Relations Indo-Pacific U.S. Foreign Policy