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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