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Phar Kim Beng
Phar Kim Beng, PhD, is a professor of Asean studies at International Islamic University, Malaysia.
Phar Kim Beng, PhD, is a professor of Asean studies at International Islamic University, Malaysia.
The Trump administration has abandoned diplomacy for tariffs and threats, fracturing alliances and leaving Asean caught in the crossfire.
By pausing tariffs instead of repealing them, Trump creates the illusion of flexibility while retaining coercive leverage.
Agriculturally, Southeast Asia is a sleeping giant. If the region meets US requirements, it could position itself as a viable, long-term supplier.
The agreement has shown the European Union, ravaged by the pandemic, to be the weaker economic and geopolitical actor. It must now hold China to its pledge to conform to International Labour Organization rules.
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China has signalled its interest in large free trade agreements, even those led by the US or Japan. The RCEP is but a small gambit in China’s larger quest to connect its economy with the rest of the world.
Pollsters who predict a win for the ruling Barisan Nasional in the Malaysian election may have failed to capture the psychology of the Malays, who have lost patience with their government as a feeling of aib – shame – sets in.
Friends from abroad just don’t seem as friendly as they once were for the Malaysian prime minister.
For the first time in decades, national debt has become a topic of contention in Malaysia – and voters must decide who will lead them out of the crisis before it becomes crippling.
![US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump said ‘after listening for 10 minutes [to Xi], I realised it’s not so easy’ for Beijing to influence North Korea. Photo: Xinhua](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/540x360/public/images/methode/2017/05/26/c109c752-41cd-11e7-8c27-b06d81bc1bba_image_hires_223302.JPG?itok=FiMXOEPN&v=1495809190)
