Prima facie, picture for East Asia is bad, but US-China ties could offer bright spot

Singapore

AFTER a deeply divisive campaign that pitted two of the least popular presidential candidates in United States history against each other, the American people have finally voted. Barring divine intervention, come January next year, Donald Trump would have defied polls and punditry, pulled the proverbial rabbit out of the hat, and be sworn in as the 45th president of the United States.

For many Americans, Donald Trump's victory at the polls yesterday will doubtless prompt a period of introspection. Foremost on their minds will be the question: how did he do it? Or perhaps, how did the system allow him to do it? Yet, even as these Americans dissect Trumpmania in desperate attempts to understand the events of 11/8, Asians themselves are pondering the portents of a Trump administration for the region. What can we expect from the Asia policy of Donald Trump?