Online Event: Book Launch: How Southeast Asia is Responding to China’s Rise

The CSIS Southeast Asia Program is pleased to present “How Southeast Asia is Responding to China’s Rise” featuring Murray Hiebert, senior associate at CSIS and author of the recently-released book Under Beijing’s Shadow: Southeast Asia’s China Challenge.

China’s rise and stepped-up involvement in Southeast Asia have prompted a blend of anticipation and unease among its smaller neighbors. The stunning growth of China has yanked up the region’s economies, but its militarization of the South China Sea and dam building on the Mekong River has nations wary about Beijing’s outsized ambitions.

Southeast Asians long felt relatively secure, relying on the United States as a security hedge, but that confidence began to slip after the Trump administration launched a trade war with China and questioned the usefulness of traditional alliances.

This compelling book provides a snapshot of ten countries in Southeast Asia by exploring their diverse experiences with China and how this impacts their perceptions of Beijing’s actions and its long-term political, economic, military, and “soft power” goals in the region.

This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.