Southeast Asia isn’t choosing sides—it’s hedging.

EAI Deputy Director Dr Chen Gang speaks with Prof Cheng-Chwee Kuik of the National University of Malaysia about how Southeast Asian countries are navigating intensifying U.S.-China tensions.

Prof Kuik unpacks the logic of hedging—why it’s a deliberate, adaptive strategy—and reflects on how the region’s deepening ties with China bring both opportunities and risks.

Key Highlights:

00:00 How Southeast Asia-China relations have evolved in recent years

03:59 How pragmatic considerations drive Southeast Asian states’ hedging policies

09:40 The evolution of “dual hierarchies” in the Asian order, with the US traditionally leading the security hierarchy and China leading the economic hierarchy.

13:46 Potential risks and challenges amid growing economic ties between Southeast Asia and China

16:44 Future trends in Southeast Asia-China relations

This podcast episode was recorded on 29 May, 2025.

East Asia Pulse is a podcast produced by the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). It provides in-depth analyses of political, economic and strategic trends in East Asia.

Mailing list: http://tiny.cc/eai-emailing
LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/east-asian-institute/
YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/EastAsianInstituteNUS

EAI Visiting Research Professor Frank Pieke speaks to Mr Steve Okun, Founder and CEO of Singapore-based consultancy APAC Advisors, in this episode of East Asia Pulse.

They discuss China’s response to the imposition of “reciprocal tariffs” by US President Donald Trump and the effectiveness of the use of tariffs as part of the US' strategy to contain China, following the 100-day mark of his second presidency on 29 April.

They also weigh in on the prospects for a trade deal between the US and China, as well as the impact of US-China trade policies on businesses in Southeast Asia.

Key Highlights:

00:00 China’s dominance in the global markets and the US' response

07:29 The effectiveness of trade tariffs as a tool for the US in dealing with a perceived “China threat”

11:48 Whether the US and China would be able to endure the fallout of the trade war

18:32 The impact of the tariffs on US global firms and the evolving role of China for US businesses

27:48 The response of Southeast Asia-based businesses and companies to the US-trade conflict

This podcast episode was recorded on 2 May, 2025.

East Asia Pulse is a podcast produced by the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). It provides in-depth analyses of political, economic and strategic trends in East Asia.

Mailing list: http://tiny.cc/eai-emailing
LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/east-asian-institute/
YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/EastAsianInstituteNUS

EAI Director Prof Alfred Schipke speaks to Prof Li Chen, Associate Professor and Associate Director of the Centre for China Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, in this episode of East Asia Pulse.

They discuss how geopolitical developments have impacted China’s financial sector development and the role that Hong Kong plays in connecting China's onshore financial market with global financial markets. They also weigh in on how Hong Kong stacks up against Singapore as a financial hub, and the potential for financial sector cooperation between Hong Kong and Singapore.

Highlights:

-03:05 How geopolitical developments such as US-China decoupling shape China's own financial sector development and Hong Kong's position as a global financial centre
-08:59 Assessing competing perspectives on the direction of the future of China's financial sector: Further liberalization, state developmentalism, and national security
-10:25 China’s efforts to mitigate domestic financial risks and manage the interface between China's domestic financial system and the US-led global financial system
-16:47 Key instruments used to achieve China’s strategic goals in the economic and financial spheres, including RMB internationalization, management of cross-border capital flows, and financial connectivity schemes anchored in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area
-21:56 Challenges faced by connectivity schemes that aim to create modified linkages between mainland China and the international markets
-28:59 Hong Kong's role in piloting strategically important financial sector innovation as part of China's financial sector evolution, such as in digital currencies and green finance
-31:21 Hong Kong’s strengths as a financial hub, in comparison to Singapore
-33:53 Potential areas of financial sector cooperation between Hong Kong and Singapore, including in fintech, artificial intelligence and green finance

This podcast episode was recorded on 24 February, 2025.

East Asia Pulse is a podcast produced by the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). It provides in-depth analyses of political, economic and strategic trends in East Asia.

Mailing list: http://tiny.cc/eai-emailing
LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/east-asian-institute/
YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/EastAsianInstituteNUS

EAI's Head of Korea Centre Dr Lam Peng Er speaks to Prof Lee Shin-wha, EAI Visiting Fellow and Professor of the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Korea University, in this episode of East Asia Pulse.

They discuss how South Korea’s multilateral strategy could evolve amid the unilateral and transactional nature under the Trump 2.0 administration. They also weigh in on South Korea’s ability to pursue a successful multilateral strategy abroad given its ongoing domestic political crisis and leadership vacuum after President Yoon’s botched martial law declaration.

Highlights:

-4:20 How the practice of multilateralism in East Asia differs from the international context
-7:08 The outlook for multilateralism amid US-China competition
-9:49 South Korea’s position as a quintessential middle power, and how South Korea can balance its multilateral strategy with ongoing US-China rivalry
-24:57 The outlook for trilateral cooperation amongst South Korea, Japan and China
-27:42 South Korea’s potential inclusion into the G7 and what it could offer to the multilateral grouping
-31:20 South Korea’s ability to pursue a successful multilateral strategy abroad amid the ongoing domestic political crisis
-34:40 The value of multilateral frameworks for informal bilateral dialogue between North and South Korea

This episode was recorded on 21 February, 2025.

East Asia Pulse is a podcast produced by the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). It provides in-depth analyses of political, economic and strategic trends in East Asia.

Mailing list: http://tiny.cc/eai-emailing
LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/east-asian-institute/
YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/EastAsianInstituteNUS

EAI Director Prof Alfred Schipke speaks to ST Lee Chair in US-Asia Relations at the Harvard Kennedy School Prof Rana Mitter in this episode of East Asia Pulse.

They discuss how Europe can close the gap with the US and China as it confronts a "technology shock" that threatens its competitiveness in key industries. They also weigh in on how the EU can navigate US-China rivalry and leverage its competitive advantages to transform its dual dependencies on the US and China into “dual opportunities”.

Highlights:
-0:51 How Europe can reconcile its economic dependencies on the US and China with its aspirations for strategic independence, and strengths in specific areas that Europe can leverage, such as semiconductors and the setting of global norms and standards
-6:25 The ‘technology shock’ that threatens Europe’s competitiveness in key industries, such as electric vehicles, and how Europe can overcome structural challenges that it faces such as the lack of capital, as well as human capital
-9:13 The prospects and key considerations for adopting a coordinated Pan-European industrial strategy, promoting partial integration of European markets as well as stronger security cooperation in Europe
-18:00 Collaborations between Europe and other countries to boost its economic competitiveness and overcome structural challenges
-25:28: Sectors with potential for Europe-China collaboration and investment, such as energy transition and healthcare, even amidst ongoing concerns about national security
-29:22 How the UK and EU can identify comparative advantages to strengthen global engagement, including engagement with China

This podcast episode was recorded on 8 January, 2025.

East Asia Pulse is a podcast produced by the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). It provides in-depth analyses of political, economic and strategic trends in East Asia.

Mailing list: http://tiny.cc/eai-emailing
LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/east-asian-institute/
YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/EastAsianInstituteNUS

EAI Visiting Research Professor Frank Pieke speaks to Dr Scott Kennedy, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), about the evolution of US-China relations under the Biden and Trump administrations.

They discuss China’s potential strategic responses to Trump 2.0, including the preparation of retaliatory moves, the strengthening of its domestic economy, the expansion of international partnerships.

They also weigh in on how US policies on trade may inadvertently advance Chinese goals, and examine the relationship between Trump and Elon Musk and its implications for business relations with China.

Highlights:
-2:16 China's strategy under Trump: self-reliance, export controls, and global partnerships
-6:46 The Biden administration’s approach towards technological leadership and the irony of US policies on trade inadvertently advancing Chinese goals
-13:07 Assessment of the Biden administration’s China policy
-21:32 The relationship between President Trump and Elon Musk and its implications for business relations with China
-25:22 The impact of geopolitical conflict on businesses and their responses, including diversification strategies
-29:21 EU vs. US: differing China policies on trade, tariffs, and business, with non-US firms potentially benefiting from US-targeted measures.
-34:31 Chinese responses to decoupling strategies in light of US-imposed business restrictions

This podcast episode was recorded on 8 January, 2025.

East Asia Pulse is a podcast produced by the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). It provides in-depth analyses of political, economic and strategic trends in East Asia.

Mailing list: http://tiny.cc/eai-emailing
LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/east-asian-institute/
YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/EastAsianInstituteNUS

In the launch episode of East Asia Pulse, EAI Director Alfred Schipke sits down with Professor Meg Rithmire, James E. Robison Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School, to discuss the geopolitical outlook for businesses amid Trump 2.0.

They weigh in on how companies should evolve governance practices to deal with geopolitical and national security risk and better prepare for disruptions stemming from US-China tensions, particularly in the context of China's unique political economy.

They also discuss the implications of the "Made in China 2025" policy push, as well as the need for further development and reform of Chinese institutions in order to address existing policy gaps and challenges, such as the problem of local government debt and perceived overcapacity in specific industries in the Chinese economy.

Highlights:
-1:27 Global companies' responses to geopolitical risk amid US-China tensions
-16:04 The lag in institutional development in China in comparison to the rapid development of advanced industries in the country, and the need for institutional reform
-19:56 The unintended consequences of campaign-style policymaking in China under the Chinese Communist Party
-35:55 The impact of geopolitical tensions on academic and cultural exchanges between the US and China
-41:00 The implications of Trump's presidency for US-China relations, particularly the potential for him to strike a deal with China and carve out areas of cooperation

This podcast episode was recorded on 8 January, 2025.

East Asia Pulse is a podcast produced by the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore (NUS). It provides in-depth analyses of political, economic and strategic trends in East Asia.

Mailing list: http://tiny.cc/eai-emailing
LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/east-asian-institute/
YouTube channel: http://youtube.com/EastAsianInstituteNUS