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US-Asean relations

US-Asean relations
Breaking news and analysis on US-Asean relations, including trade, defence and diplomacy.
Illustration: Craig Stephens
US-China relations

Opinion | Why US defence chief’s attack on China won’t find favour in Southeast Asia

The US is playing up the ‘China threat’ and wants allies in Asia to increase defence spending, but it may find this to be a hard sell.

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Asean

Opinion | How Europe can be Southeast Asia’s hedge against US-China trade war

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United States

Opinion | Asia is becoming more multipolar but not because of US decline

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China trade

Pressured by US tariffs, Chinese exports expand in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia

‘Exports are being diversified, bit by bit, and Southeast Asian countries are becoming more and more important trading partners,’ analyst says.

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Southeast Asian countries are becoming more important trading partners for China as it diversifies exports. Photo: Xinhua
Diplomacy

Opinion | Why democracy vs autocracy isn’t the definitive contest shaping the world

With unilateralism on the rise, the world is moving towards a situation where no power is willing to take on the mantle of global leadership.

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Diplomacy

Asian Angle | Trump, Hegseth, Rubio: a triple threat to global stability – and Asia

The Trump administration has abandoned diplomacy for tariffs and threats, fracturing alliances and leaving Asean caught in the crossfire.

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China trade

As US-China rivalry squeezes Asian markets, is taking sides even an option?

Analysts break down what the protracted power plays between Washington and Beijing mean for Asian economies as they walk a tightrope of risks vs rewards.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Asean

Opinion | How Trump’s tariffs could benefit Asean in the long run

While the tariffs may undermine the bloc’s growth in the short term, they are spurring increased cooperation between member states and with others.

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Diplomacy

Opinion | Triangular diplomacy a risky play for rising powers in a multipolar world

Triangulation offers ambiguity and flexibility, but countries embracing the Cold War tactic can easily fall prey to unseen traps, escalating instability.

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Asean

Opinion | Asean-GCC-China summit signals a redrawing of trade away from the US

The partnership offers a chance to reduce US reliance through new supply chains, trade agreements and regional production in critical sectors.

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Leaders join hands before the Asean-GCC-China Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on May 27. Photo: EPA-EFE
Asean

Opinion | This moment in US-China rivalry is Asean’s chance to remake the bloc

Between a new trade deal with China and a potential audience with Trump, Asean has a chance to be the architect of a new regional order.

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Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (centre) and other Asean heads of government, heads of state and representatives – including Xanana Gusmao (far right), the prime minister of incoming Asean member Timor-Leste – pose for a photo at the Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur on May 26. Photo: Reuters
United States

Editorial | Solidarity best in face of US tariff tensions

Amid global uncertainty, China is strengthening economic ties with other leading trading partners such as members of Asean and the Gulf states.

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Asean

Can Asean overcome Trump’s tariffs and become fourth-largest economy by 2045?

As Asean aims to be the fourth-largest economy by 2045, it must tackle internal trade barriers, US tariffs and improve regional integration.

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Asean

Malaysia’s Anwar urges Asean not to ‘sacrifice’ member states over US tariffs

His call at the Asean summit comes as the bloc agrees to widen trade links with the GCC and China to cushion the impact of US tariffs.

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Leaders of Asean, the Gulf Cooperation Council and China discuss various trade issues at their summit in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Malaysia

Asean summit: Malaysia pushes for US to hold tariff talks with bloc

Bloc also launches Kuala Lumpur Declaration – a blueprint to develop the region through to 2045 – as Anwar warns of ‘unsettled’ international order.

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Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim delivers a speech for the opening of the plenary session at the Asean summit in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Malaysia

Asian Angle | Preparing Malaysia’s toolkit to weather Trump’s tariff storm

Malaysia should push out relief measures to mitigate possible fallout from Trump’s tariffs even as trade talks continue.

Asean

Malaysia’s Anwar says Asean summit should tackle US tariffs, Myanmar crisis

The Asean chair calls for ‘assertiveness and independence’ among the 10 member countries ahead of the crucial summit on Monday.

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US-China relations

US clears way for stiff tariffs on Southeast Asian solar imports

China-based firms are accused of flooding the US with unfairly cheap panels and other products via Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

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Plants grow through an array of solar panels in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on May 6. Photo: Reuters
Asean

Asian Angle | The end of ‘Chimerica’ and what that means for Southeast Asia

The breakdown of US-China economic symbiosis leaves Southeast Asian nations bracing for unpredictable shocks.

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Malaysia

Asean firms in limbo as US tariff window ticks and China ‘dumping’ fears grow

Companies brace for drop in demand and profits as they and regional governments struggle to find a way to tackle the punishing duties.

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US-China trade war

A month into Trump’s trade war, the world is divided – how are nations reacting?

China retaliated with strong measures against Washington’s record-high tariffs, but other countries have preferred a softer approach.

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US President Donald Trump unveils sweeping new “Liberation Day” tariffs in the White House on April 2, 2025. Photo: TNS
US-ally trade wars

Asia urged to seek new markets, boost local spending to survive trade war

The head of the Asian Development Bank warns that reliance on exports leaves the region vulnerable to Washington’s high-tariff strategy.

A woman walks past the Asian Development Bank’s headquarters in Manila. Photo: AFP
Laos

The Southeast Asians facing exile from the US to a land they’ve never known

After surviving a CIA-led war and building lives in America, Laotian migrants are now being detained and deported with little warning.

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Asean

Asian Angle | How Asean can turn short-term tariff pain into long-term gain

Intra-bloc trade and diversified supply sources can help reduce dependency on Donald Trump’s United States and expand export options.

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Asean

Opinion | Asean must see US tariff pause for what it is – a trade hostage crisis

By pausing tariffs instead of repealing them, Trump creates the illusion of flexibility while retaining coercive leverage.

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US President Donald Trump speaks as Secretary of State Marco Rubio (left) and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth look on during a cabinet meeting at the White House on April 10 in Washington. Photo: AFP
Donald Trump

Opinion | Trump world: the unravelling of American global leadership

With an isolationist US increasingly viewing commitments as burdens, a power vacuum emerges that China and others can fill.

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US President Donald Trump walks into the White House after arriving on Marine One on Thursday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Vietnam

Why Vietnam’s potential US jet deal could risk Russia fallout and China’s fury

Vietnam’s reported move to buy US F-16 jets could end 70-year defence ties with Russia and risk China’s wrath, analysts say.

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US-China trade war

China’s solar industry explores options as Washington tariffs hit Southeast Asia

Some Chinese manufacturers of photovoltaic products are speeding up their overseas factory deployment, hoping to secure a less-expensive route to the US.

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