Power, Pressure, and Partnerships: China in Southeast Asia

China’s ties with Southeast Asia states are increasingly consequential for regional stability and global geopolitics. Over the past two decades, China has become the region’s largest trading partner and a major source of investment and infrastructure financing. At the same time, China growing military presence and aggressive behavior in the South China Sea have caused anxiety and have prompted a number of Southeast Asian nations to seek closer security ties with the United States and other partners.  

The Trump administration’s policies of imposing tariffs, reducing foreign assistance, and implementing stricter immigration regulations have begun to erode US influence across the region, further encouraging Southeast Asian countries to rely on each other and to diversify their relationships with external partners.    

To discuss Beijing’s evolving approach to Southeast Asia and the efficacy of its policies, we are joined on the podcast today by Dr. Chong Ja Ian. He is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the National University of Singapore and a nonresident fellow at Carnegie China. Ian’s research focuses on Chinese politics, foreign policy, and US-China relations. 

Timestamps
[00:00] Intro
[01:50] China’s Tools and Objectives in SEA
[03:02] Economic Relations with SEA
[05:52] Success and Failures of Beijing’s SEA Strategy
[07:47] Regional Media and Influence
[11:40] SEA Views on China: Consensus and Discord
[14:55] Regional Strategy Post-Trump
[18:22] SEA Reactions to China Taking Taiwan by Force
[22:40] Crisis Planning and How it Could Change
[24:10] Long-Term Outlooks for China-SEA Relations