Discover the April issue of The Navigator – out now

This month we explore rising economic tensions in Northeast Asia, as Japan and South Korea respond to a new wave of US tariffs. We also turn to Myanmar, where a devastating earthquake has worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis. Despite urgent calls for aid, the junta is blocking relief efforts while pushing ahead with its plans for elections amid ongoing conflict.

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News9DLApril 25, 2025Trump, ASEAN, Taiwan, The Navigator, 9DASHLINE, US, United States, Indo-Pacific, China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Samoa, USAID, Myanmar, Russia, Myanmar earthquake, tariffs

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

Written by 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.

Discover the March issue of The Navigator – out now

This month, alongside our usual roundup of events, we examine how India is balancing oil imports amid geopolitical pressures and the impact of defunding Radio Free Asia on US soft power in the Indo-Pacific.

Both developments underscore the shifting balance of influence, where economic choices and media narratives are shaping global power dynamics.

News9DLMarch 28, 2025Trump, ASEAN, Taiwan, The Navigator, 9DASHLINE, US, United States, Indo-Pacific, China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Samoa, USAID, Chetan Rana, David MacSweeney, Radio Free Asia, Voice of America, Myanmar, Russia, Soft Power

Discover the February issue of The Navigator – Out Now

This month we examine Berlin’s economic and political challenges, a tough stance on China, and Southeast Asia’s reaction to the arrival of the Trump 2.0 presidency amid US policy uncertainty.

News9DLFebruary 28, 2025Trump, ASEAN, Hunter Marston, Roderick Kefferpütz, Taiwan, The Navigator, 9DASHLINE, US, United States, Ukraine, German, Friedrich Merz, Germany, Indo-Pacific, China, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Samoa, USAID

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.

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Sustaining change in Cambodia: Hun Manet's journey of steady reform

Written by Jason Chumtong and Soth Chhayheng

The initial months of Hun Manet’s rule have been guided by public interest and the introduction of long-term strategies for the nation's progress to 2050, prompting reflection on the advancement of his vision for Cambodia's role in the region.

Southeast Asia9DLJanuary 25, 20249dashline, Sustaining change in Cambodia: Hun Manet's journey of steady reform, Jason Chumtong, Soth Chhayheng, Cambodia, Hun Manet, Hun Sen, long-term strategies, strategic policies, stability, foreign affairs, Pentagon Strategy, Kingdom of Cambodia, human capital development, economic diversification, economic competitiveness, private sector development, resilient development, sustainable development, inclusive development, digital economy, digital society, strategic shift, strategic guidance, collaboration, transregional political alliances, contemporary global strategies, reform, inclusive governance models, power sharing, domestic politics, opposition parties, competitive elections, least developed country, LDC, economic policies, economic reform, economic growth, foreign investment, national self-reliance, preferential market access, development aid, exports, garment industry, Everything But Arms, EBA, EU, duty-free access schemes, US market, EU market, Prime Minister, Prime Minister Hun Manet, human capital, social welfare, employment opportunities, healthcare, foreign direct investment, 43rd ASEAN Summit, ASEAN, UNGA, Saudi Arabia, ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit, ASEAN-Japan Summit, Sretta Thavisin, diplomatic gesture, state visits, mass immigration, water disputes, energy resource exploration, indo-pacific, Victoria Nuland, Cambodia-US relations, USAID, diplomatic ties, US-China rivalry, Ream Naval Base, Brazil, diversification, Emmanuel Macron, France, political leadership, Khmer politics, fiscal policy, bilateral meetings, World Economic Forum, inauguration

In Conversation with Salvador Santino Fulo Regilme Jr.

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Salvador Santino Fulo Regilme Jr. about his latest book, Aid Imperium: United States Foreign Policy and Human Rights in Post-Cold War Southeast Asia.

In Conversation9DLDecember 14, 20229DashLine, Salvador Santino Fulo Regilme Jr., United States, US, human rights, post-Cold War era, Southeast Asia, In Conversation: Salvador Santino Fulo Regilme Jr., foreign policy, US foreign policy, state repression, physical integrity rights, Global South, interest convergence, donor government, recipient government, domestic legitimacy, foreign aid, bilateral aid, diplomacy, interest convergence theory, policy agendas, democracy promotion, socio-economic policies, militarism, counterterrorism, domestic state repression, extrajudicial killings, state harassment, coercive state agencies, political agency, foreign aid programmes, US anti-terror funds, UN, Washington DC, Thailand, Philippines, US interests, President Aquino, militaristic authoritarianism, Obama administration, Aquino administration, President Marcos Jr., Duterte, Sara Duterte, state coercion, People Power Revolution, Walden Bello, University of the Philippines, socio-economic justice, material inequalities, marginalised communities, South China Sea, Asia-Pacific, traditional sphere of control, Beijing, USAID, capacity building, aid donor, aid donor countries, hedging, US-China rivalry