While the Covid-19 epidemic quickly spread around the world degenerating into a pandemic, a major change in Association of South East Asian Nations -ASEAN's trade balance went almost unnoticed. According to statistics presented by the International Trade Centre (ITC), in the first quarter of 2020, China surpassed the United States to become ASEAN's largest trading partner, as one of the many tangible results of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Some other statistics, however, place such a change back in 2009, noticing that China maintained its status as ASEAN largest trading partner for ten years in a row.

The above development is a direct result of complex engagement with the world. Of course, the BRI has multiple impacts over South East Asia, ranging from economics to politics and people-to-people exchange. Its consequences, too early to be properly quantified, will likely extend over infrastructure, trade relations among ASEAN members and, ultimately, regional order.