I. Introduction
US-China competition has been intensifying in Southeast Asia, a region of immense strategic significance given its economic heft, geostrategic location next to major sea lanes, and diplomatic convening power via the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Amid this, there have been rising conversations about how Southeast Asian states are responding in this competition and the implications for Washington, Beijing, and other interested actors. For US policymakers in particular, this could have important effects on how Washington thinks about advancing key regional…
