Story perspectives

China Dominates Southeast Asia; U.S. Struggles for Influence

10/30/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The Lowy Institute's 2025 Asia Power Index shows China as the dominant economic force in Southeast Asia.
U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to reassert influence through spectacle, leverage, and hedging against China.
The United States faces challenges turning symbolic gestures into concrete policies.
To stay relevant, the United States must offer reliable, long-term alternatives to China's economic influence, or credibility in the region will erode.

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Story summary

The Lowy Institute's 2025 Asia Power Index shows China as the dominant economic force in Southeast Asia.
U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to reassert influence through spectacle, leverage, and hedging against China.
The United States faces challenges turning symbolic gestures into concrete policies.
To stay relevant, the United States must offer reliable, long-term alternatives to China's economic influence, or credibility in the region will erode.