Southeast Asia’s Growing Importance to Global Trade
![ASEAN and Australian leaders at a summit in Melbourne, Australia, March 4, 2024. Photo credit: George Chan / SOPA Images via Reuters Connect.](https://static.jstribune.com/jst-site/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/10175117/asean_n-1-1024x554.jpg)
The world is in the initial stages of an evolution in the structure of global trade. While popular narratives about the era of globalization described a wide dispersion of trade flows and supply chains to all corners of the world, the reality was different. Global trade remained very concentrated. For example, close to 40 percent […]
The Gaza War as Seen from Southeast Asia
![Pro-Palestinian Solidarity Rally In Jakarta, Indonesia, November 5, 2023. Photo credit: Mas Agung Wilis via Reuters Connect.](https://static.jstribune.com/jst-site/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/03141652/indonesia_%D7%9E-1024x554.jpg)
The Hamas onslaught upon Israel on October 7 and the resulting military response by Israel prompted a wide range of responses across Southeast Asia. Some are motivated by political and religious ideology, particularly in Muslim-majority nations, and others by pragmatism, self-interest and established relationships. Indonesia In Indonesia, numerous leaders expressed support and admiration for the Hamas terror […]
Southeast Asia between Major Powers: Lessons for the Middle East
![US President Joe Biden with ASEAN leaders during the 2022 ASEAN summit in Cambodia, November 2022. Photo credit: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarqu](https://static.jstribune.com/jst-site/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/02144304/asean_n-1024x554.jpg)
I once asked a Vietnamese friend what an impending leadership change in Hanoi meant for his country’s relations with China. “Every Vietnamese leader,” he replied, “must get along with China; every Vietnamese leader must stand up to China; and if you cannot do both at the same time, you don’t deserve to be the leader.” […]
Lessons We Should Have Learned from Vietnam
![Members of Company "D", Second Batallion, Third Infantry, 199th Light Infantry Brigade, in Long Binh, Vietnam on October 6, 1969. Photo credit: DPA / Picture Alliance via Reuters Connect](https://static.jstribune.com/jst-site/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/02144515/vietnam_narrow-1024x554.jpg)
With recent experiences of Iraq and Afghanistan in mind, three former US ambassadors look back at their earlier careers as infantry officers in Vietnam and offer the following lessons.