US trade war is splintering South-east Asia
The region has always been at the heart of great power rivalry, but the stakes are rising as the US and China compete more fiercely for influence
DESPITE its geopolitical heft, South-east Asia has rarely been more divided. In separately seeking tariff relief from the US, nations from Malaysia to Indonesia have undermined their collective leverage. They have a chance to present a united front at a regional forum this weekend – a move that would ensure they remain credible as a bloc capable of charting its own future.
US President Donald Trump is expected to attend the 10-member Asean meeting in Malaysia, which begins on Sunday (Oct 26). Sitting at the heart of the Indo-Pacific – a zone central to both US and Chinese strategic ambitions – the region is vital to global trade and security, with a combined gross domestic product of around US$4 trillion.
But Asean is not living up to its unity in diversity motto. Trump’s art-of-the-deal thrives on bilateral bargaining, and many leaders seem eager to play along in the hopes of securing short-term gains.
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