ASEAN Hedges Between Washington and Beijing
Southeast Asian states increasingly resist pressure from Washington while still courting it for economic and security ends, so ASEAN summits recur as venues where the region asserts strategic autonomy and complicates great-power alignment.
forming · confidence 40 · Emerging (watchlist) · tracking since July 23, 2026 · updated July 23, 2026
Why the conviction moved
- Jul 23Strengthened
At the Manila summit Malaysia's leader called a US demand to lift its Israel ban 'totally absurd' while Indonesia urged stronger ASEAN-US ties as a stability anchor. The simultaneous pushback and courting captures the region's hedging posture.
Source trail
Supporting · July 23, 2026
Southeast Asian States Push Back on US Pressure Even as They Court Washington
At the Manila summit Malaysia's leader called a US demand to lift its Israel ban 'totally absurd' while Indonesia urged stronger ASEAN-US ties as a stability anchor. The simultaneous pushback and courting captures the region's hedging posture.
South China Morning Post
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