Japan is a cuddlier friend to South-East Asia than America or China
Relations between Japan and ASEAN are entering a new era
Asian geopolitics is often described in terms of two giants: America, the incumbent superpower, and China, a rising one, standing astride the region and competing to pull smaller countries to their sides, including the ten members of ASEAN, the Association of South-East Asian Nations. But this misses a lot. It elides smaller countries’ agency and oversimplifies what is rarely a Manichaean divide. It also ignores the pivotal role of another rich power with strong ties: Japan.
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This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “ Cuddles with intent”
From the December 16th 2023 edition
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