US trade policy and US-China competition concerns are high on the minds of South-east Asia observers.

Synopsis: The Straits Times' global contributor Nirmal Ghosh shines a light on Asian perspectives of global and Asian issues with expert guests.

Hardening strategic competition with China will remain front and centre of the foreign policy focus of the next US Administration in Washington DC. But while Asian countries have a mixed response to this superpower competition, most seek to stay on the right side of the United States and off the wrong side of China. 

Ahead of the US presidential elections on Nov 5, South-east Asia would foresee more continuity under a Kamala Harris Administration, with the Indo Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF, launched in 2022 by the Joe Biden Administration) continuing - while a second Donald Trump regime’s approach would be more bilateral, with Washington’s relations with individual countries shaped by factors such as trade deficits. 

Within the broader context of US-China competition though, South-east Asian countries would be looking for more clarity from Washington on distinctions between trade and investment and economic issues, and national security concerns, as host Nirmal Ghosh finds out in this episode.

His guests are:

• Dr Satu Limaye, director of the East West Centre in Washington DC, creator of the Asia Matters for America initiative, and founding editor of the Asia Pacific Bulletin.
• Singapore-based APAC Advisors CEO Steven Okun served in the Clinton administration and is a veteran of numerous Democratic presidential campaigns.

Highlights (click/tap above): 

4:57 Directionally, the US-China relationship is going to be more tense… regardless of who wins on Nov 5

9:12 More fundamental understanding of the fragmented multi-polar and deconstructing international order 

13:14 South-east Asia has been masterful at internationalising the search for autonomy; what could happen if there were to be a Trump 2.0 Administration? 

16:02 How will Singapore fare? Why it will be very difficult for businesses and investors to do business or to invest if what's allowed today is not allowed tomorrow - for national security concerns

21:48 US-Asia relations: Why the threads of continuity are likely to overcome the threads of discontinuity

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Host: Nirmal Ghosh (nirmal@sph.com.sg)

Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

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