Building Bridges, Countering Rivals: Strengthening U.S.-ASEAN Ties to Combat Chinese Influence

Asia and the Pacific

2025-06-10

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Source: Congress.gov

Summary

The meeting of the Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific focused on developing strategies to counter China's growing influence within ASEAN and enhance U.S. engagement in the region [ 00:09:18-00:09:41 ] . Participants discussed China's diplomatic, economic, and security tactics, alongside the United States' challenges and opportunities in strengthening its ties with Southeast Asian nations [ 00:09:47-00:10:08 ] . The goal was to identify effective legislative tools and policy adjustments to ensure the U.S. remains a preferred partner [ 00:10:13-00:10:26 ] .

Themes

Countering China's Influence and Strengthening US-ASEAN Ties

The discussion highlighted China's aggressive pursuit of deals and its long-standing prioritization of Southeast Asia through diplomacy, infrastructure, and trade to entrench its influence [ 00:09:47 ] . Panelists emphasized the need for a bold, whole-of-government strategy from the U.S. to affirm leadership, reinforce alliances, and uphold a rules-based order [ 00:11:14-00:11:26 ]

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. Despite China's reach, many ASEAN countries still prefer the U.S. as a long-term partner, recognizing its leadership in investment, security, innovation, and shared values [ 00:10:26-00:10:34 ] . However, some recent surveys indicate a shift, with a slim majority of Southeast Asian respondents potentially aligning with China if forced to choose .

Economic Engagement and Trade Policies

U.S. economic engagement in the region has stumbled, particularly following the withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the shortcomings of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) [ 00:09:51-00:09:55 ] . The imposition of U.S. tariffs has caused anger and confusion in ASEAN, leading to concerns that these actions may push nations closer to China, their largest trading partner . Proposed solutions include negotiating critical minerals agreements, pursuing plurilateral digital agreements, implementing customs cooperation initiatives, and fully funding U.S. economic statecraft tools like the DFC and Export-Import Bank . There's a strong desire from ASEAN nations for reciprocal economic agreements with market access, rather than unilateral impositions .

Security and Maritime Issues

China's actions in the South China Sea, including coercion tactics using Coast Guard and militia vessels, pose a direct threat to U.S. national interests and allies like the Philippines . The U.S. has made strides in expanding maritime security, particularly with the Philippines, and supporting other South China Sea nations in law enforcement and capacity building [ 00:10:39-00:10:45 ] . Specific recommendations included providing asymmetric capabilities to the Philippines, such as Tomahawks and BrahMos missiles, and increasing U.S. presence through uncrewed platforms and support for Philippine basing . While ASEAN members are divided on South China Sea disputes, the Philippines and Vietnam have been the most forward-leaning in defending their rights .

Soft Power and People-to-People Ties

The U.S. has a latent advantage as a preferred partner in Southeast Asia due to shared values, leadership in innovation, and trust . However, this advantage is being undermined by cuts in U.S. aid, pauses in educational programs like Fulbright, and student visa interviews . The war in Gaza has also significantly impacted public opinion of the U.S. in Muslim-majority Southeast Asian countries, with a notable drop in support . Strengthening people-to-people ties, particularly through educational and cultural exchanges, is crucial for long-term U.S. influence and developing future leaders in the region .

Tone of the Meeting

The tone of the meeting was serious and concerned, reflecting the urgency of addressing China's influence and the perceived shortcomings of U.S. policy in Southeast Asia [ 00:10:08-00:10:20 ] . Speakers expressed a blend of frustration over past U.S. economic missteps and optimism about the potential for renewed engagement [ 00:09:51-00:09:55 ] . There was a strong bipartisan consensus on the importance of the ASEAN region and the need for a coherent, effective U.S. strategy [ 00:12:38-00:12:49 ]

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. However, there was also an underlying tension regarding the impact of current U.S. trade policies, particularly tariffs, on relationships with ASEAN countries .

Participants

Transcript

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The Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific will come to order.   This hearing aims to explore strategies for countering China's influence within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, while enhancing the United States engagement in the region.  I now recognize myself for opening statement.  Again, welcome to the East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee's hearing titled Building Bridges, Countering Rivals, Strengthening US-ASEAN Ties to Combat Chinese Influence.   This hearing presents an opportunity for us to examine China's growing footprint in ASEAN and to discuss ways the US can counter it by strengthening cooperation across economic, security, diplomatic, and law enforcement sectors.  China has long prioritized Southeast Asia in its foreign policy using diplomacy, infrastructure investment, and trade to entrench its influence.   In contrast, US economic engagement has stumbled.  Initiatives like the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity aimed high, but failed to deliver meaningful market access or address trade imbalances.   Despite our inability to engage economically, we continue to build robust relationship with countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, and Singapore.  But we too often underestimate ASEAN's collective weight in our own Indo-Pacific strategy.   We need to ensure the United States has a genuinely responsive and effective strategy to remain the partner of choice in ASEAN and ask ourselves, where have our past strategies in Southeast Asia fallen short?  What legislative tools can strengthen our regional position?
Are our frameworks aligned with ASEAN partners' priorities?   Despite China's reach, the United States is the preferred long-term partner of choice for many ASEAN countries.  In the 2025 State of Southeast Asia survey, 52.3% favored the United States over China, recognizing our leadership in investment, security, innovation, and shared values.  On security, the United States has made real strides   expanding maritime security with the Philippines, and partnering with other South China Sea nations on law enforcement, maritime safety, and capacity building training, enhancing disaster response and maritime governance capabilities.  Economically, however, we are under leveraged   While China remains ASEAN's top trading partner, the region is a $4 trillion market with enormous potential, especially in critical minerals, regional trade, and development financing.  The threat of Chinese dominance isn't going away.  China is aggressively pursuing deals.  Over 100 secured just this April with Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia.   These efforts reflect Beijing's recognition of growing US engagement and its desire to blunt it.  We must show ASEAN partners that China's promises rarely deliver lasting benefits.   We also need a bold whole-of-government strategy, one that affirms our leadership, reinforces our alliances, and upholds the sovereignty and rules-based order that underpins a free and open Indo-Pacific.   So I look forward to hearing from our witnesses today and your expertise will guide us in crafting stronger, smarter U.S.
policy in South Asia.  So let me now recognize ranking member from California, Mr. Barra, for your opening statement.
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.  I want to thank the witnesses for being here on what is a timely conversation in an important region, Southeast Asia.  Southeast Asia is home to more than 650 million people and has some of the fastest growing economies in the world, critical sea lanes and key partnerships in our interest as we look at peace and prosperity and sovereignty in the Indo-Pacific.   Collectively, the Southeast Asian ASEAN nations represent the fifth largest economy in the world, and it's our fourth largest export market.  So what we do here in Congress, the choices that we make, the partnerships and deals that we put together matter intensively.  That's why I really do have some concerns about the Trump administration's approach.  Obviously, these sweeping tariffs have created a lot of uncertainty in the region.   But hopefully, it creates some opportunities.  Not each country has been looked at equally.  And if I think about a country like Singapore, this is a country that we have a free trade agreement with.  We have mechanisms to resolve issues.  And we have a $2.8 billion trade surplus with Singapore.  So we're doing quite well with a country like Singapore.   think about the opportunities in my conversations with some of our ASEAN ambassadors.  They don't want to be put into a position where they have to make a choice between China, which is in their neighborhood, or the United States.  But the uncertainty that's been created by the Trump administration approach has brought into clear focus that they don't want the United States leaving their markets either.  So this is a time to engage in   in trade negotiations and perhaps look for those opportunities where we can reduce those trade barriers.  As someone who was a supporter of TPP, as much as I'd love to go back and see if we could join the CPTPP, that probably is a ways off.
But can we do digital trade?

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