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US-Asean relations

US-Asean relations
Breaking news and analysis on US-Asean relations, including trade, defence and diplomacy.
Chinese sailors wave to their Vietnamese counterparts after a joint patrol in the South China Sea in 2024. Photo: Xinhua
South China Sea

Opinion | How data-sharing can help defuse South China Sea tensions

A project to share maritime information could contribute to turning the region from a geopolitical flashpoint into a model for preventive diplomacy.

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Asean

Opinion | Cambodians don’t want to be a chess piece in the US-China rivalry

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Donald Trump

Crisis calculations: Trump’s America has Southeast Asia in a spin

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Malaysia

Malaysia’s Anwar: nobody can dictate how friendly we should be to US or China

The prime minister said that trade-reliant Malaysia was ‘pragmatic’ in its policies and open to all.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim shake hands after the Exchange of Agreement session between two countries in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on April 16. Photo: Reuters
US-China tech war

US pushes Vietnam to decouple from Chinese tech, sources say

Vietnam has been asked ‘to reduce its dependency on Chinese hi-tech’, say one of the people familiar with the discussions.

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Asean

Asian Angle | Trump tariffs challenge Asean’s unity and economic stability

As Trump’s tariff policies threaten Asean solidarity, the bloc should focus on regional trade to maintain stability and prevent division amid divergent responses.

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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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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Asean

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

The region’s best bet might be to take its own side and develop greater trade and diplomatic relations with Europe.

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United States

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

The Trump administration’s unclear foreign policy aims are prompting US partners to look beyond security alignment with Washington alone.

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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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US President Donald Trump and Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani attend a signing ceremony in Doha, Qatar, on May 14, 2025. Photo: Reuters
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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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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Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim delivers a speech at the opening of the plenary session of the 46th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur on May 26. The bloc has proposed a summit between the leaders of its member states and US President Donald Trump. Photo: EPA-EFE
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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Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, left, extends a hand to Premier Li Qiang as they pose for a group photo at the Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council-China Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on May 27. Photo: AP
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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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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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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Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (right) gestures as he welcomes China’s Premier Li Qiang ahead of the Asean summit in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. Photo: handout
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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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.

A ship coming into berth at the container terminal at sunset in port Klang near Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia’s exports to the US bear the blanket 10 per cent levy. Photo: Shutterstock
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.

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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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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China has long prepared for an expanded trade conflict with the US. Photo: Shutterstock
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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Shipping containers stacked at Malaysia’s Port Klang on April 18. Photo: AP
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-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.

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