Zhang Yun, Professor, School of International Relations, Nanjing University
May 18, 2022
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.
Peng Nian, Director of Research Centre for Asian Studies, China
Apr 05, 2022
China and the United States engage in different ways with other countries. China knows what ASEAN member states really want, while the U.S. maintains the notion of “America first.” It’s only natural for ASEAN leaders to act in their national self-interest.
Chen Jimin, Guest Researcher, Center for Peace and Development Studies, China Association for International Friendly Contact
Mar 14, 2022
The Biden administration recognizes the importance of sustained engagement in the region, but it can’t ignore Washington’s other interests around the world. Thus, the prospects for America’s Indo-Pacific Strategy are uncertain.
Zhang Monan, Deputy Director of Institute of American and European Studies, CCIEE
Feb 16, 2022
Washington intends to shed its reliance on multilateral mechanisms and form a new economic framework based on bilateral consultations. The IPEF is more of a contract aimed at solving particular issues than an agreement to ratchet up economic integration. And, of course, it aims to dent China’s influence.
Richard Javad Heydarian, Professorial Chairholder in Geopolitics, Polytechnic University of the Philippines
Feb 12, 2022
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen will assume leadership of ASEAN this year, and bring with him a positive attitude towards China and a recent history of disengagement with the West. Observers expect that the regional organization’s agenda will turn away from topics that will directly challenge China’s influence over Southeast Asia.
Sajjad Ashraf, Former Adjunct Professor, National University of Singapore
Feb 08, 2022
ASEAN is the crossroads of the Pacific, and one of the world’s most strategically valuable trade routes. Their high volume of trade with both the U.S. and China put them at the intersection of something else - the escalating struggle between the two superpowers for global supremacy.
Yang Wenjing, Research Professor, Institute of American Studies, CICIR
Sep 06, 2021
An abundance of examples show that countries in Southeast Asia want to develop beneficial relationships with both the U.S. and China. Thus, the U.S. hedge against China in the region is doomed to fail, despite the best efforts of visiting American officials.
Liu Chang, Assistant Research Fellow, Department for American Studies, CIIS
Jul 16, 2021
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.
Ma Shikun, Senior Journalist, the People’s Daily
Jul 16, 2021
The idea that ASEAN countries rely on the U.S. for security and on China for economy may be overstated. What is true is that they benefit from cooperation with China under the principle of mutual benefit and reciprocity, and they don’t want to rock the boat.
Richard Javad Heydarian, Professorial Chairholder in Geopolitics, Polytechnic University of the Philippines
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.
U.S.-ASEAN
