The geopolitical environment is far from reassuring for Southeast Asia, including Asean countries that pride themselves on being able to hold their own amid bigger powers. In June 2016, Asean, under Chinese pressure, retracted a foreign ministers' statement expressing "serious concerns" over the tense situation in the South China Sea. "China is winning in Southeast Asia and is winning over Southeast Asia," Mr Thitinan pointed out. For now, he said, "Southeast Asia is going to be stuck between a rock and a hard place, or [Chinese Communist Party chief] Xi Jinping and [US President] Donald Trump." But if he does not actually do much despite the strong words, "then China will be all over the region", Mr Thitinan said.

Source: Bangkok Post March 15, 2017 21:45 UTC