Southeast Asia is often viewed as the region that most readily exemplifies the competitive forces of the United States and China at work. And yet, the analogy of Southeast Asia as a testing ground tends to strip these countries of their agency in managing their foreign relations. What do Southeast Asian nations make of Xi Jinping’s more ambitious, more global China? This panel discussion brings together scholars with perspectives from the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam to examine how these countries interpret the benefits and challenges of engagement with China, as well as how the United States may impact China-Southeast Asia regional dynamics.