ARTICLES

22 Oct 2021

Southeast Asian Responses to AUKUS: Arms Racing, Non-Proliferation and Regional Stability

William Choong|Ian Storey

AUKUS is a wake-up call to ASEAN that it needs to be more proactive on security issues and cannot take its centrality for granted.

5 Oct 2021

Twenty Years On: Reflections on The Aftermath of 9/11 and The New Era of Geo-Politics

Daljit Singh

Twenty years after the historic 9/11 attacks on the United States, the threat of terrorism has largely been contained and a new era of great power competition has returned. States in Southeast Asia need to have a deep appreciation of what drives China and the US in order to maintain agency amid geopolitical flux.

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

4 Oct 2021

The Quad and the Indo-Pacific: Going Slow to Go Further

William Choong

In recent years, the Quad has gained momentum in response to growing Chinese assertiveness. But a lower key strategy is advised to allay regional concerns that ASEAN’s centrality will be undermined by a minilateral arrangement helmed by external powers.

ASEAN Australia India Indo-Pacfic Japan Quad U.S. U.S. Foreign Policy

15 Sep 2021

Indonesian Militants React to Taliban Takeover

Quinton Temby

The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan has been welcomed in Indonesia’s militant Islamist circles and even among some mainstream figures.

Afghanistan Indonesia Islamist Groups Taliban U.S.

13 Sep 2021

Ideology Versus Pragmatism: Vietnam’s Statecraft towards China and America

Huynh Tam Sang|Pham Do An

China is seeking to drive a wedge between Hanoi and Washington, even as Vietnam-US relations continue to flourish. Hence, Vietnam’s striking a balance between its ideological cohesiveness with China and pragmatic ties with the US is being put to the test.

China Indo-Pacfic U.S. U.S.-Vietnam Relations Vaccine Diplomacy Vietnam

9 Sep 2021

Deepening US-Vietnam Ties: Less Geopolitics, More Human Security

Phan Xuan Dung

Discussions about the bilateral relationship between Vietnam and the United States typically centre on the geopolitical aspects. A more meaningful way of developing the relationship is actually in the field of human security.

U.S. U.S.-Vietnam Relations Vietnam

17 Aug 2021

Biden’s Foreign Policy to Southeast Asia: More Pragmatism than Ideology

Hoang Thi Ha

The Biden Administration has gone big guns on promoting its values-based democracy agenda in the Indo-Pacific. It is time for a rethink.

ASEAN Southeast Asia State of Southeast Asia Survey U.S. U.S. Foreign Policy

11 Aug 2021

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s Southeast Asia Tour: Assurances and Dividends

William Choong|Hoang Thi Ha|Le Hong Hiep|Ian Storey

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s visit to three Southeast Asian countries in July 2021 was aimed at reaffirming America’s commitment to regional alliances and partnerships amid concerns of US neglect of the region in the first six months of the Biden administration.

ASEAN China China-U.S. Relations Quad U.S.

10 Aug 2021

US Challenges in Southeast Asia Under Biden

Robert Sutter

The Biden Administration has reinvigorated its approach towards Southeast Asia. This, however, will be limited by important US priorities and Southeast Asian reluctance to irk Beijing.

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

3 Aug 2021

Team Biden: A Southeast Asia Reset

Victor Ha

Compared to China, the Biden Administration has been slow off the blocks in the game of winning friends and influencing people in Southeast Asia. It has its work cut out for it.

ASEAN ASEAN-China Relations China-U.S. Relations Indo-Pacfic U.S.