Lecture Abstract:

Southeast Asia is a growing fulcrum for interaction between the region’s two great powers, the United State and China. While there certainly exists some competition–strategically, economically, diplomatically, and in soft power–the question is how acute is this competition and can it be managed without becoming increasingly adversarial? How can ASEAN exercise its agency and shape the US-China relationship in the region to facilitate the positive elements each power has to offer, while minimizing the negative elements? Within ASEAN, which nations gravitate more towards China and which ones–if any–gravitate towards America? What are the principal trends in Southeast Asia’s regional orientation towards the two powers? In this seminar, RSIS Distinguished Visiting Professor David Shambaugh will share his preliminary findings on these questions and he seeks feedback and suggestions from participants.

About the Speaker:

David Shambaugh is Distinguished Visiting Professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, on leave from George Washington University where he is Professor of Political Science and International Affairs and Director of the China Policy Program. An active public intellectual and frequent commentator in the international media. He serves on numerous editorial boards, and has been a consultant to governments, research institutions, foundations, universities, corporations, banks, and investment funds. As an author, Professor Shambaugh has published more than 30 books, including most recently China’s Future and The China Reader: Rising Power (both 2016).