As China, US vie for influence, Asean states put their own needs first, experts say

Washington is renewing its interest in Southeast Asia, declaring a ‘new era’ in relations with the bloc

Sovereignty is the bottom line of the member states’ engagement with the two powers, observers say

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US President Joe Biden says ties with Asean have entered a new era. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 10:30pm, 14 May 2022

Asean states will not take sides as US-China competition intensifies in the region, opting instead to engage the two powers based on their own needs, according to diplomatic observers.

The assessment follows Washington’s decision to upgrade relations with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and name the White House National Security Council’s chief of staff as the new envoy to the region, a position vacant since 2017.

“As we look around the world – all the challenges we’re facing – the Asean-US partnership is critical, I think, to meeting the moment we find ourselves in history right now,” US President Joe Biden said on Friday as he hosted Asean leaders in Washington.

Biden said US relations with Asean were entering a “new era”, and cooperation would be expanded on a range of fronts, from the digital economy to security in the South China Sea.

Washington’s renewed interest in Southeast Asia comes after years of engagement by Beijing via trade, infrastructure projects and pandemic control measures.

As China, US vie for influence, Asean states put their own needs first, experts say

Washington is renewing its interest in Southeast Asia, declaring a ‘new era’ in relations with the bloc Sovereignty is the bottom line of the member states’ engagement with the two powers, observers say

Washington is renewing its interest in Southeast Asia, declaring a ‘new era’ in relations with the bloc

Sovereignty is the bottom line of the member states’ engagement with the two powers, observers say