The presidential race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris comes at a time of rising geopolitical tensions on multiple fronts. In the eighth part of anin-depth series, Dewey Sim reports on the candidates’ strategies for Southeast Asia.
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Even as the US presidential election draws near, both the Democratic and Republican candidates have remained largely silent on Southeast Asia – a region Washington has been eager to court amid its rivalry with Beijing.
While their strategies for the region are expected to be similar, analysts see Kamala Harris taking a more “personal” approach and paying more attention to issues like the South China Sea. Donald Trump might be more assertive on the disputed waterway – potentially worsening tensions and increasing the risk of confrontation with China.
James Downes, head of politics and public administration at Hong Kong Metropolitan University, expected a future Harris administration to continue existing policies, involving a combination of diplomacy, multilateralism and a focus on human rights and liberal democracy.
He said Trump’s approach was likely to be about the economy, with an emphasis on trade deals and security pacts that directly benefit the US.
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The former president would be “more transactional” when dealing with US allies in the region including the Philippines, prioritising areas of mutual interest with less focus on human rights issues, he said.
“A security focus would also underpin a Trump 2.0 presidency, where Trump would likely prioritise security cooperation with countries in the region to counter increased Chinese economic influence and to maintain the US’ power in the wider region,” Downes said.
