Southeast Asia needs more policy focus from the United States. Trade with the area now exceeds half a trillion dollars annually. Thirty one percent of US agricultural exports go to this area while India’s economy alone will very soon be larger than that of Germany or Japan. Reorienting critical technical manufacturing sectors to reduce dependence on China is increasingly part of the picture as well. China has made strategic inroads in the area competing for influence and profits. The US is playing catch-up in the Philippines and in Pacific islands critical to the defense of Taiwan.
What is US policy toward the area and what should it be doing? How is diplomacy executing and supporting policy? The 2024 Ambassadors Forum will put several key areas under the microscope for answers.