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Is South-east Asia ready for Trump 2.0? Brace for much bigger economic impact
No matter who wins the US election, the policy shifts could rewrite the rules for Asean. But the potential return of Donald Trump could compound this disruption.
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The impact on South-east Asia will be stronger and sharper under a potential return of Donald Trump to the White House than under a President Kamala Harris.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Deborah Kay Elms
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In the past, the contest to determine who sits in the White House was less relevant to policymakers or companies in Asean. Although the two American political parties – the Democrats and the Republicans – had policy differences, the overall approach to foreign and economic policymaking had been broadly consistent for decades.
In general, both sides looked to free markets and open trade. Both encouraged the spread of US business interests around the globe as another mechanism for supporting US policy objectives.
