The foreign ministers from China, the U.S., Japan, and Russia, among others, all passed through the Laotian capital, Vientiane, over the past several days, ostensibly for an ASEAN gathering. But the real action took place on the sidelines of the meeting, where the ministers held a series of bilaterals that revealed the hardening battle lines among the major powers.

The tense discussions highlight the frontline role that Southeast Asia now plays in this burgeoning geopolitical competition that appears to be intensifying over disputes related to Taiwan, the South China Sea, and surging Chinese influence in the region.

Prashanth Paramaswaran, writer and creator of the popular ASEAN Wonk Substack newsletter, joins Eric to discuss what happened in Vientiane and the latest on the stand-off between Beijing and Manila over territorial rights in the South China Sea.

SHOW NOTES:

• ASEAN Wonk: Why New Japan-Philippines Reciprocal Access Agreement Matters
• ASEAN Wonk: China Crisis Rocks Philippines Second Thomas Shoal Strategy
• ASEAN Wonk: Vietnam Foreign Policy Futures After Nguyen Phu Trong Passing

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