The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s largest trade pact, integrates 15 diverse economies to revitalize globalization, enhance trade rules, and bolster ASEAN’s centrality in regional trade. Amid U.S.-China tensions, RCEP offers opportunities for supply chain shifts and industrial upgrades while positioning China to deepen ties with developing regions through initiatives like the Belt and Road.

The shift of the US policy from engaging China to containing China can be traced back to the Obama administration and his pivot to Asia strategy in 2009.

Australia’s alignment to the West and its trade barriers with China has entrenched tensions between the two Asian countries.

ASEAN toes a delicate balancing act between China and the United States, and the latest ASEAN Summit demonstrates the complexities involved in steering clear of unnecessary tensions.

Is the U.S. ready to meaningfully engage with the Asia-Pacific region? Their latest offering comes in the form of the IPEF, and the differences between the U.S.-led trade pact and competing ones led by Asian powers will show whether American leadership has brought enough to the table.

Six factors suggest that the IPEF will not succeed: meager benefits for developing economies, new and unpopular commitments, disproportionate benefits for the U.S., vague negotiating plans, uncertainty of the framework’s survival under a new American administration and skepticism by U.S. allies.

The Biden administration is prioritizing its foreign policy strategy in Asia by extensive outreach and alliances in the region. Strategic partnerships with other countries, particularly in the Indo-Pacific , are crucial for the U.S. to keep up with China’s growth in the region.

Lacking concrete detail, the framework is burdened by great uncertainty. Moreover, the United States seems to be sending a decoupling signal to China — a questionable strategy. If the U.S. continues along this line, it will be hard to win confidence and cooperation from countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

The IPEF as yet has no real content, so people are understandably mystified. America wants to drive a wedge between regional countries and China. But this won’t work, as China is already embedded. Supply chains will not be altered on a whim.

America finally issued a broad statement on its Indo-Pacific strategy, predictably addressing concerns about China’s influence and spelling out its intention to play into its allies' favor. Meanwhile, ASEAN must respond to the latest development to retain their own autonomy and stability in what many are sure to see as rising tensions.