ASEAN, Myanmar, and the crisis of regionalism: Between centrality and irrelevance

Written by Aniello Iannone

ASEAN’s future will not be determined by declarations or summit communiqués. It will hinge on whether the organisation can transcend the comfort of paralysis and confront the contradictions that sustain it.

Southeast Asia9DLNovember 4, 20259DASHLINE, Aniello Iannone, ASEAN, Myanmar, ASEAN Myanmar and the crisis of regionalism: Between centrality and irrelevance, Singapore, Southeast Asia, Cold War, Five-Point Consensus, Joko Widodo, Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, Jakarta, Sanctions

Five days that shook ASEAN: How the Cambodia-Thailand border clash became a superpower showdown

Written by Chhay Lim and Chandarith Neak

Without institutional mechanisms that both parties accept as legitimate and binding, border disputes remain vulnerable to escalation and external intervention whenever domestic political pressures or regional tensions rise.

New episode - The SCO Summit, India’s role, and EU–ASEAN connectivity

This month, Zsuzsa and Richard are joined by Stefania Benaglia. Together they discuss the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, focusing on India’s role and strategic positioning. They also explore the evolving dynamics between the European Union and ASEAN, highlighting the latest developments in interregional cooperation.

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News9DLSeptember 17, 2025EPinASEAN, 9DASHLINE, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, Richard Heydarian, Indo-Pacific, ASEAN, European Parliament, The Bridge, Southeast Asia, China, India, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Association of the Southeast Asian Nations, Global gateway

Italy–Malaysia relations: A cornerstone of Rome’s Indo-Pacific engagement

Written by Emanuele Ballestracci

Italy cannot rival the hard-power presence of France or the UK, nor does it aspire to. Instead, it has constructed a pathway based on economic cooperation, private-sector activism, and steady institutional ties, which over time create the trust needed to expand into political and security spheres.

Japan and Cambodia: Partners in a diplomatic balancing act

Written by Shin Kawashima

Japan and other US allies must strengthen ties with Southeast Asian countries to address US retrenchment, positioning themselves as credible alternatives for countries seeking to avoid over-reliance on China.

Southeast Asia’s shifting geopolitics: A challenge for India’s Act East policy

Written by Dr Apila Sangtam

Crucially, reinvigorating key connectivity initiatives such as the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway would serve as both a symbolic and practical demonstration of India’s commitment to regional integration.

In Brief with Mu Sochua, President of the Khmer Movement for Democracy

Drawing on her decades of experience in Cambodia’s pro-democracy movement, we discussed the country’s democratic decline, the growing influence of China, and the crucial role the international community — and Cambodia’s youth — must play in shaping a freer future.

In Brief9DLJuly 17, 2025Mu Sochua, 9DASHLINE, In Brief, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Cambodia, Cambodian politician, Khmer Movement for Democracy, Cambodia’s pro-democracy movement, Cambodia’s youth, Cambodia in 1989, Paris Peace Agreements of 1991, civl society, Hun Sen, regime, Prime Minister Hun Manet, single-party rule, Khmer Rouge, Hun Manet, Bristol University, West Point, father’s legacy, repression, corruption, opposition figures jailed, social media, democratic reforms, Cambodian activists, NGOs, advocacy groups, South Korea, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, dissidents, attacks on dissidents, Lim Kimya, Cambodia National Rescue Party, Bangkok, assassinated, global support network, disinformation, EU, curtailing of free media, shrinking civil society, political opposition, conditionality clauses, trade agreements, Cambodian government, high-ranking officials, Marco Rubio, human rights, Southeast Asia, Cambodian Democracy and Human Rights Act, China, Chinese firms, Xi Jinping, Phnom Penh, Trump administration, promoting democracy, Washington, Hun regime, USAID, Funan Techo Canal, ghost towns, China’s infrastructure investments, Paris Peace Agreements, UK, US, Laos, Debt Trap Diplomacy, vassal state, political change, France, policymakers, online platforms, protests in Seoul, In Brief with Mu Sochua, President of the Khmer Movement for Democracy

New episode - James Crabtree on how events in the Middle East are (re)shaping Europe and Indo-Pacific relations

This month, Zsuzsa and Richard are joined by James Crabtree. Together they examine how recent developments in the Middle East are (re)shaping Europe's relationship with Southeast Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific region. They also explore how key Asian powers are responding to perceptions of Europe's shifting role on the global stage.

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News9DLJuly 14, 2025EPinASEAN, 9DASHLINE, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, Richard Heydarian, Indo-Pacific, ASEAN, European Parliament, The Bridge, Southeast Asia, China, India, James Crabtree, Gaza, Israel, Middle East, Trump, United States

Southeast Asia deepens hedging amid Trump 2.0 turbulence

Written by Hunter Marston

Southeast Asian anxieties with the Trump administration’s turn toward protectionist trade policies were evident in the May 2025 ASEAN Summit, when the regional bloc expressed ‘deep concern’ with US tariffs.

Southeast Asia9DLJuly 1, 2025Southeast Asia deepens hedging amid Trump 2.0 turbulence, 9DASHLINE, Hunter Marston, South East Asia, United States, Cambodia, Singapore, Philippines, New Zealand, Canada, France, Southeast Asia, Trump, Shangri-La Dialogue

A superpower diminished: Trump’s chaotic foreign policy is undermining US credibility in Asia

Written by Dr Hunter Marston

Despite the opportunity presented by American retrenchment, China lacks the soft power to step in as a natural leader and its economic and political influence continue to be met with suspicion by regional elites.

Navigating the middle: Japan-Cambodia relations and the challenge of geopolitical competition

Written by Dr Sophal Ear

Cambodia offers a litmus test: if Japan can sustain influence there, it may do so across mainland Southeast Asia.

Southeast Asia9DLMay 29, 20259DASHLINE, Sophal Ear, Navigating the middle: Japan–Cambodia relations and the challenge of geopolitical competition, Khmer Rouge, Cambodia, Japan, United States, China, diplomacy, development, peacebuilding, foreign policy, agency, Great power rivalry, Tokyo, liberal values, Southeast Asia, defense diplomacy, Cambodia’s Ream base, 1991 Paris Peace Agreements, United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC), Official Development Assistance (ODA), aid, bilateral donor, Sihanoukville, soft infrastructure, authoritarianism, Phnom Penh, Strategic Partnership, international norms, rule of law, maritime security, ASEAN, South China Sea, Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) framework, Yōko Kamikawa, human resource development, digital connectivity, climate change, US tariffs, transhipment, public debt, United Nations Human Rights Council, debt trap, European Union, “Everything But Arms” scheme, sanctions, democratic backsliding, Hun Manet, “multi-vector” diplomacy, Beijing, alignment, national interest, liberal internationalism, Belt and Road Initiative, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), civil society, Cultural diplomacy, Japan-Cambodia Kizuna Festival, Japanese pop culture, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, State of Southeast Asia surveys, Ream Naval Base, Vietnamese People’s Navy, South China Sea (SCS), multilateralisation, Cold War, Soviet, balancing, non-alignment, middle power, FDI, The Asia Foundation, Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center (CJCC), Navigating the middle: Japan-Cambodia relations and the challenge of geopolitical competition

New episode - Xi Jinping in Southeast Asia: Implications for Europe and the Indo-Pacific + Eurovision!

This month, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy and Richard Heydarian are joined by Stephen Nagy to unpack the significance of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Southeast Asia. Together, they explore what this heightened diplomatic outreach reveals about Beijing’s evolving regional strategy—and what it means for the Indo-Pacific at large, including Europe’s strategic positioning.

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News9DLMay 23, 2025EPinASEAN, 9DASHLINE, Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, Richard Heydarian, Indo-Pacific, ASEAN, European Parliament, The Bridge, New episode - Xi Jinping in Southeast Asia: Implications for Europe and the Indo-Pacific + Eurovision!, Stephen Nagy, Eurovision, Southeast Asia, Xi Jinping, China

No room for missteps: Cambodia’s strategic wishlist For Trump 2.0

Written by Chhay Lim

Policies that force Cambodia into a binary choice risk deepening its reliance on China and undermining US efforts to maintain influence in Southeast Asia.

Southeast Asia9DLFebruary 6, 20259DASHLINE, Chhay Lim, No Room for Missteps: Cambodia’s Strategic Wishlist For Trump 2.0, Donald Trump, White House, Cambodia, Strategic wishlist, Cambodia's strategic wishlist, Trump 2.0, Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh’s close alignment with Beijing on foreign policy, Prime Minister Hun Manet, Trump administration, proxy for Beijing, United States, Southeast Asia, infrastructure development, digital transformation, trade diversification, maritime capacity, economic positioning, Vietnam, The Philippines, US-China competition, Hedging, strategic hedging, Prioritising Pragmatic Cooperation Over Ideology, prioritise economic and development cooperation, maritime security, 90-day suspension of USAID, USAID, liberal democratic values, transactional, Western assistance, Digital innovation, Public health, civic engagement, overdependence, hub for technology, digital entrepreneurship, Greater Mekong subregion, digital divide, inadequate infrastructure, cybersecurity, public-private partnerships, digital literacy, Washington, great power competitio, digital sovereignty, data sovereignty, data security, economic autonomy, Ream Naval Base, Maritime Self-Defence Force, Japan, Gulf of Thailand, military exchanges, Cambodian policymakers, security engagements, security ties with Japan, binary choice, US-Cambodia relations, Democracy, human rights, democracy promotion, Cambodian Foreign Ministry, Cambodia Democracy and Human Rights Act, US Congress, Marco Rubio, Secretary of State, mutual respect and understanding, cooperation, Cambodia-China relations, Cambodian People’s Party, Communist Party of Vietnam, national interest, Moscow, China-Vietnam, balance relations with Beijing, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, balanced relations with Beijing, great power rivalry, elephants fight or make love, smaller states, US-Vietnam trade, China-Vietnam trade, Thailand, China, Cambodia’s reliance on China, political legitimacy, security assurances, Chinese Communist Party, ideological pressure, regime change, strategic ambiguity, transparency, No room for missteps: Cambodia’s strategic wishlist For Trump 2.0

In Conversation with Dr. Enze Han

9DASHLINE’s Southeast Asia Associate Hunter Marston recently spoke with Dr Enze Han about his latest book, The Ripple Effect: China’s Complex Presence in Southeast Asia.

The book provides a nuanced perspective on China’s relationship with Southeast Asia, focusing not just on state-level interactions but also on the significant role of non-state actors, such as businesses and migrants, in shaping regional perceptions of China.

In Conversation9DLJanuary 9, 20259DASHLINE, Enze Han, he Ripple Effect: China’s Complex Presence in Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia, non-state actors, China’s influence in Southeast Asia, Chinese migration, Cold War, Beijing, Beijing’s main goal in Southeast Asia, US-China competition, South China Sea, Thailand’s domestic institutions, Myanmar, Thailand, conduits of Chinese influence, National Unity Government, Myanmar military junta, Cambodia, Chinese criminal syndicates, Malaysia, threat perceptions, low threat perception of china, securitised, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, 2023 State of Southeast Asia, Hunter Marston, Middle East, Donald Trump, Israel, Southeast Asian political elites, criminal networks, CCP, foreign influence, How is Beijing’s influence in Southeast Asia unique?, corporations, Southeast Asian governments, The Ripple Effect: China’s Complex Presence in Southeast Asia, In Conversation with Dr. Enze Han

Despite doubts, the Quad is here to stay

Written by Lucas Myers

The Quad’s role is clearer in 2024 than in 2017 or 2007. It coordinates and ensures the provision of public goods in an era of great power competition that is about much more than just traditional hard power security.

Pacific, Faultlines9DLNovember 26, 20249DASHLINE, Lucas Myers, Despite doubts, the Quad is here to stay, Quad, Quad Leaders’ Meeting, Quad Leaders' Summit, Delaware, US President Joe Biden, The Quad is here to stay, Delaware readout, Wilmington, US electoral season, New Delhi, Biden's home, New York, Japan, Australia, UN meeting, US scheduling conflicts, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Shigeru Ishiba, Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Quad collapsed, talk shop, counter-China coalition, Beijing, Southeast Asia, Pacific, Quad’s purpose., force for good, big-ticket infrastructure, 400 million doses, Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA), Indo-Pacific, USD 140 million for undersea cables, Open RAN network in Palau, Palau, Global South, undersea cables, USD 500 million cable network, testing us all, East and South China Seas, non-Quad countries, latticework” concept, US-centered alliance system, Western Pacific, AUKUS, the Squad, Asian NATO, minilaterals, US-centric security architecture, rules-based order coalition, US Coast Guard, Papua New Guinea, Papua New Guinea’s landslides, Typhoon Yagi, Kevin Rudd, 2024 Quad summit, 2022 Quad Summit in Tokyo, Harris administration, Republican Party, Asia First, Republican White House, Development Finance Corporation, allied burden sharing, India, United States, Here to stay, Minilateral grouping, Wilson Center

In Forum: Donald Trump re-elected, the Indo-Pacific reacts

In this In Forum, 9DASHLINE asks several experts what to expect from the next US administration and its potential impact on the Indo-Pacific region.

Editor's Picks9DLNovember 11, 20249DASHLINE, Donald Trump re-elected, the Indo-Pacific reacts, Matthew sussex, Kei koga, Yuki Tatsumi, andrea chloe wong, Kate clayton, Kate Clayton, Australia must adapt swiftly, Reaganesque 'Peace through strength', Trump's transactional world, grand strategic bargains, US security partner, iron-clad, Russia, China, American politics, misty-eyed sentiments, America first, transactional, Shigeru Ishiba, US-Japan alliance, 2 percent of GDP, Donald Trump, Ukraine war, gaza, Trump administration, Shinzo abe, Free and Open Indo-Pacific, Asian NATO, Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), cultivate a personal relationship with Trump, National Security Advisor, latticework of alliances and partnerships, bilateral negotiations, equitable alliance, tough decisions, force Japan to make tough decisions, industrial security, positive disruptor, more uncertainties for the philippines, Japan faces tough national security decisions, Manila, protectionism, Filipinos, 350, 000 Filipinos, US Department of Homeland Security, 5th largest unlawful immigrant population, immigration, household spending, South China Sea, boosting defence cooperatio, maritime aggression, AUKUS's future in doubt, AUKUS Agreement, Australia, Philippines, Japan, AUKUS Agreement is in trouble, Indo-Pacific, US-Australia relations, Climate, Critical Minerals and Clean Energy Transformation Compact, tariffs, Southeast Asia, diplomatic footprint in the Pacific, Pacific, climate change, Quad, middle powers, Joe Biden, US disinterest, America, India, climate change cooperation, Europe, Pacific Islands, Jake Sullivan, multilayered security framework

ASEAN Summit highlights persisting challenges facing the bloc

Written by Meghan Murphy and Bryanna Entwistle

Unable to stop a deadly civil war within its member states, halt transnational crime that crosses its borders, deliver solutions on maritime rights, or mitigate superpower relations, the bloc feels to many as an increasingly irrelevant mechanism in which to conduct foreign affairs.

Diverting from China: Cambodia’s foreign policy in a new era

Chhay Lim and Kimpor Try

While there is leeway for Cambodia to hedge and pursue an independent foreign policy, the new government under Hun Manet has no choice but to continue diversifying strategic and economic partners.

Southeast Asia9DLJuly 3, 20249DASHLINE, Chhay Lim, Kimpor Try, Diverting from China: Cambodia’s foreign policy in a new era, China, Southeast Asia, Cambodia, Chinese global agendas, China’s regional interests, comprehensive strategic partnership, highest status in Cambodia’s three-tier diplomatic hierarchy, Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), Chinese Communist Party, unbreakable ironclad friendship, Xi Jinping, Southeast asia, South China Sea, Global South, Phnom Penh, Global Civilization Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative (GSI), Hun Manet, Hun Sen, 'One China' principle, community of shared future, United States, Angkor Sentinel, Vietnam, Thailand, Funan-Techo Canal Project, Preah Vihear border conflict, multi-dimensional approach, third way, Japan, Australia, diversification, balanced and pragmatic approach to diplomacy, 2012 ASEAN Chairmanship, 2022 ASEAN Chairmanship, Myanmar, ussian invasion of Ukraine, annexation of Ukrainian territory, condemning the Russian invasion, Japanese global initiatives, Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy, Cambodia's independent foreign policy, Chinese client state