China’s rise as a major power in recent years has been nothing short of extraordinary and has triggered changes in the global system. Countries have had to adjust to the changing international order, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Southeast Asia.
With its close proximity to China, Southeast Asia is uniquely exposed to China’s growing influence. Three of its constituent nations share a border with China and five are directly impacted by its claims over the South China Sea. Just as significantly, China has become a vital trading partner with the region, if not the most prominent. Against the backdrop of souring US-China relations, how can countries in the region respond to growing pressures to make a binary choice while protecting their own interests? Beyond just Southeast Asia, what might this also mean for the future balance of power in the Indo-Pacific?
Drawing on more than a decade of on-the-ground experience, Mr Sebastian Strangio, journalist and author of In the Dragon’s Shadow: Southeast Asia in the Chinese Century, will explore the impact of China’s rise and the diverse ways in which Southeast Asian countries are responding. The session will be chaired by Mr Manu Bhaskaran, Founding Director and CEO of Centennial Asia Advisors Pte Ltd and Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, IPS.