ARTICLES

16 Jul 2025

Rubio’s Reassurances to ASEAN Ring Hollow

Joanne Lin

US Secretary of State came to Malaysia with well-crafted words about the importance of ASEAN, but his rhetoric is undermined by Washington’s protectionist trade policies.

15 Jul 2025

A ‘Reverse Nixon’ Attempt by Trump? A Chinese View

Qian Yuming

In 1972, US President Nixon forged ties with China to counter the Soviet Union; will – or can – President Trump do the reverse today by aligning with Russia against China?

China Russia U.S. U.S. Foreign Policy

14 Jul 2025

Caught in the Crossfire: Vietnam and the Chinese Transshipment Dilemma

Le Hong Hiep

Vietnam is caught in the middle as the US seeks to clamp down on China using it as a backdoor into the American market.

China China-Vietnam Relations Trade U.S. U.S.-Vietnam Relations Vietnam

27 Jun 2025

The Vietnam War and US Security Policy on the Asia-Pacific

Daljit Singh

The region’s security architecture is evolving in the wake of the Trump Administration’s pressure tactics on US allies and partners. An articulation of doctrine would be helpful but may not be forthcoming.

U.S. U.S. Foreign Policy Vietnam

16 Jun 2025

US-China Negotiations in London Signal a Tough Road Ahead for Southeast Asia

Stephen Olson

Southeast Asian countries lack the personal rapport and leverage that have shaped US-China bargaining, and with US’ limited bandwidth, could find themselves on the outside looking in.

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

26 May 2025

ASEAN’s Trade in Services with the US and China: A Hidden Casualty of Trump’s 2.0 Tariffs

Tham Siew Yean|Maria Monica Wihardja

In services trade, ASEAN has maintained a deficit with the US and a surplus with China. The Trump tariff fixation with goods has omitted services, to the detriment of all sides.

Donald Trump Economy U.S. U.S.-ASEAN Relations

23 Dec 2024

Trump’s Tariff Threats and Supply Chain Bifurcation: A Lose-Lose Proposition

Jayant Menon

Trump’s threat of tariffs on various countries including China could spark a 1930s-era trade war.

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

18 Dec 2024

Japan-ROK-US Trilateral Relations: Flying into Turbulence

Joanne Lin|William Choong

The political tides are going against the recently impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. This could adversely affect the trilateral security arrangement involving Japan, South Korea and the US.

Japan South Korea U.S. U.S. Foreign Policy

26 Jul 2024

Southeast Asian Perceptions of China: Beijing’s Growing Power is Recognised, but Feared

Lee Sue-Ann|William Choong

Data from a multi-year trend analysis of Southeast Asian perceptions of China suggest that the region remains apprehensive about China’s growing power and influence. Yet in the face of greater uncertainty over the future of the United States’ leadership role in the region, the preference has been to try to keep the peace with China.

ASEAN ASEAN-China Relations China U.S.

19 Jun 2024

The Shangri-La Dialogue’s Coming of Age – A Conversation with Veerle Nouwens

Veerle Nouwens

Fulcrum editor Julia Lau discusses the recent Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) and the significance of two decades of the SLD with IISS Executive Director, Veerle Nouwens.

China Defence Dialogues at Fulcrum South China Sea U.S.