Power Play

Asean unity fraying in the Sino-US tug of war

Despite China's courtship, misgivings persist. Beijing’s stance on Russia's war on Ukraine is likely to heighten anxieties in South-east Asia.

The region faces a delicate balance between courting the US, while simultaneously not offending China. PHOTO: REUTERS
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Power Play is a weekly column that looks at various facets of US-China rivalry and its implications for Asia.

Over the past two years, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has made three tours of South-east Asia, where he visited all 10 Asean countries. On each, he came with offers of vaccines, economic aid and investments to a pandemic-battered region.

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