MANILA, Philippines — US President Donald Trump's strategy for Southeast Asia remains a big enigma, according to an analyst, with his decision to skip a key regional summit fueling further questions on Washington's view of the role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. According to Michael Green, a nonresident fellow at the Lowy Institute, the US president's decision to skip the East Asia Summit in Manila on November 14 is raising questions in Southeast Asia on how Washigton really views the role of the ASEAN. "The Trump strategy for Southeast Asia presents an even bigger enigma, though the President does deserve credit for traveling to Vietnam and the Philippines and for successfully hosting a series of Southeast Asian leaders in Washington," Green wrote, adding Trump deserves criticism for appearing to accede to the anti-democratic moves of some leaders of Southeast Asia. "The concept builds on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's 'strategic diamond' connecting the four major maritime democracies in the region," Green said. Green also predicts that a Trump meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping would be tense, at least behind the scenes.

Source: Philippine Star November 01, 2017 09:22 UTC