They’ve long been hedging their bets.

But Southeast Asian nations are caught in the dispute between the United States and China.

The trade-dependent countries are under threat from Trump’s tariffs, too.

They face a delicate balancing act between economic survival and strategic neutrality.

The message was clear at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – ASEAN’s recent summit in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.

Member countries are recalibrating their economic partnerships to insulate their economies.

That includes a push to deepen trade ties with China and Gulf countries.

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