The $150 million packages are a good start for America’s regional vision, but what the U.S. does next will be decisive. In Southeast Asia, actions always speak louder than words.

Judging the summit from an American perspective would be misleading. Rather, it must be scrutinized from the ASEAN point of view. From that position, the summit can be seen as beneficial not only to ASEAN but to all state-to-state relations in the region.

Washington signals that it is weighing on lifting some tariffs on Chinese goods.

Differences over the rules for world affairs will not be resolved easily and won’t be resolved in favor the U.S. Countries are interdependent, and a divided world serves no one’s best interests.

China’s overtures to Pacific Island states has been met with somewhat sharp rebuffs from U.S. and Australian officials - attacks that one might say mirror China’s oft-criticized foreign relations methods. The emphasis on military force in the Pacific underscores the importance of this part of the world to the future of the international order.

A "renewed cycle" of U.S.-China tensions ahead?

Economic globalization — with more participants — is in Europe’s interest. Following the lead of the United States and kicking Russia and its allies out of the international system will only cause global fragmentation.

The ongoing Ukraine conflict may be the turning point that observers and politicos alike speak of to shift the focus of global leadership away from American hegemony, and towards a multipolar paradigm.

The demonization of China that began during the Trump presidency has persisted. Bilateral relations are morphing from a competition over interests to a struggle over values and identity. The near future looks bleak, but there’s hope further down the road.

The EU-China summit seemingly left both sides with a bad taste in their mouths, but it could be the start of a new relationship dynamic between the two powers.