Sep 19, 2021

Parallels between the U.S. withdrawal in Afghanistan and its previous defeat in Vietnam have been top of mind for many, nowhere more so than in Southeast Asia itself, where American intervention and the ensuing fallout is still being reckoned with today.

Sep 03, 2021

Russia’s influence once stretched from the edge of Western Europe to the battlefields of Vietnam. Surpassed economically by the West and China, Russian foreign policy sees opportunity in Southeast Asia to restore its global reach.

Aug 12, 2021

The U.S. has seemingly pulled out all the stops to advance its agenda in Southeast Asia, hoping to entice countries away from China. Yet, as members of China’s neighborhood, ASEAN members will find it hard to create distance between themselves and China, literally and figuratively.

Jul 28, 2021

The controversial claims China has made in the South China Sea has made it difficult to be its neighbor - but Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte is willing to subvert his own administration to try and mend fences.

Jul 13, 2021

The ever-outspoken Rodrigo Duterte has navigated a contentious and dynamic situation in Southeast Asia with his bombastic leadership, which has disrupted a nearly century-old relationship with the U.S. No longer satisfied with compliance to American security concerns, Duterte may prove to be a formidable obstacle for Biden’s designs on establishing power in the Pacific.

Jun 22, 2021

Southeast Asia’s coalition of small-to-medium sized nations have hosted superpower conflicts, yet they are overshadowed by larger regional powers on the global stage time and time again. American leadership will struggle to find welcoming allies there without a drastic upgrade in its dealings with ASEAN member nations.

May 28, 2021

ASEAN has long been a platform for dialogue and multilateralism in Asia. But it now must refocus on leadership development and proactive cooperation in order to de-escalate tensions and promote stability in the ASEAN region.

May 20, 2021

As a former U.S. colony, the Philippines has maintained close ties with the United States on security issues for decades, and may quickly become a key player in Washington’s plans in the Indo-Pacific as China tests their claims across the South China Sea.

Apr 17, 2021

Despite a confrontational summit in Alaska, the U.S. and China lack the military appetite for a new “Cold War.” The reality is both sides have more to lose from a direct confrontation then they could gain.

Mar 22, 2021

The Quad, a revitalized clique of democratic nations surrounding China, has been criticized by Chinese as a thinly-veiled ploy to contain its growth. It could prove to be a formidable obstacle, if the U.S. maneuvers correctly.