Published 22 Oct 2024
Authors: Lee Sue-Ann|William Choong
Southeast Asia can expect regional tensions to rise amid growing Sino-US competition. To preserve regional stability, Southeast Asian countries should work more closely with middle powers.
As the Middle East teeters on the brink of a full-scale regional conflict and the war in Ukraine rages on, Asia is also witnessing increased militarisation and heightened risks of unintended conflict. This is driven by the intensifying strategic contestation between the US and China, which will underpin geopolitical realities for years to come. With bipartisan consensus that it is China — not Russia, Iran or any other country — that poses the most salient strategic threat to the US, Asia’s leaders must expect that the US will continue to focus its resources on containing China and corral like-minded countries to manage the challenge. The question is what role Southeast Asian countries and other middle powers can play to manage heightening tensions and bolster regional security.
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