The New Geopolitics of Southeast Asia (IDEAS Special Reports)

Southeast Asian states risk becoming pawns in a geopolitical clash between two extra-regional superpowers. This report analyses how the states in the region are responding to the challenge posed by the strategic interests of the US and China in their geography and economy.

If the Southeast Asian states are to take advantage of the opportunities presented by China’s rise and the United States’ pivot, they must stand together in the geopolitical contest currently taking place in the region. However, this is not an easy task: regional states are caught in what game theory would view as a classic ‘prisoners’ dilemma’ that will require a deep degree of trust to escape.