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.

Scholars from China and around Southeast Asia respond to questions about how the region views the second push by the United States to identify the origins of the coronavirus.

The United States has been unsuccessful in its attempts to rally Southeast Asia against China. In recent months, it has mounted a transparent effort to curry favor in the region. But nobody wants to choose between major trading powers. They’d rather keep their options open.

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.

While the U.S. pays lip service to the notion that ASEAN is at the core of the Indo-Pacific region, U.S. actions show it is side-stepping to another direction. By contrast, China’s attitude toward Southeast Asia looks much more sincere.

The United States does not neighbor China, but it exerts considerable influence on countries in East Asia. China hopes all will act in good faith to build an open and inclusive Asia that embraces peace, prosperity and win-win cooperation.

China recently initiated a wave of diplomatic courtship of ASEAN nations, as both sides work to navigate the reality of China’s resurgent gravity in the Pacfic region.

The Quad Security Dialogue will not get far, mainly because three of its members don’t want to compromise relations with China. The dialogue will likely focus on form over content and symbolism over substance. It will do little to shape Indo-Pacific geopolitics.

Joe Biden’s hope for reasserting American leadership in Southeast Asia will face growing challenges, not only from China but also a skeptical audience in the region.

The incoming U.S. administration’s policy positions will likely include moving quickly to restore America’s influence in the region. It will seek an edge over China at every opportunity and try to draw ASEAN closer.