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US-Asean ties - the Goldilocks quest continues

The US has warmed up the diplomatic porridge but getting the balance right is tricky. There's also the risk of distractions down the road.

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It has been just over a year since Mr Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States. Are US relations with South-east Asia better off now?

Having endured a season of relative neglect during the tempestuous Trump years, a return to conventional foreign policy decision-making in Washington would have been a welcome change for many South-east Asian policymakers. Yet anxieties mingled with anticipation as to what a new administration portended for the region.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 29, 2022, with the headline US-Asean ties - the Goldilocks quest continues. Subscribe