The State of Southeast Asia 2026 Survey

Authors: Joanne Lin|Melinda Martinus

Published: 7 May 2026

Dealt a tough deck of geopolitical cards, Southeast Asia wagers on flexibility and plurilateralism.

For decades, Southeast Asia prospered in a world of open trade and US-anchored security and multilateral rules. However, that world is now under strain, as captured in the State of Southeast Asia 2026 Survey. The region is not simply anxious about the US or China, but uneasy about both powers in different ways. Southeast Asia is actively adjusting to a world where no single power can provide all economic, security and normative goods.

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https://fulcrum.sg/southeast-asia-not-choosing-sides-but-options/

The article was published by ISEAS.

IRSEA and ISEAS have agreed to enter into a relationship of cooperation.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position or view of IRSEA