Stephen R. Nagy

“This book is an indispensable resource of deeply researched data and knowledge about a strategically critical region and its implications for global political and economic systems and their functions. This edited volume is a significant contribution for assessing the foreign policy decisions of the regional actors in Southeast Asia and explaining the high stakes of maintaining freedom of navigation, a rules-based order, and strategic balance of power in the region, and the dynamics of U.S.-China strategic competition pertaining to these issues. This book is a must have for any student or scholar in the field of international relations.”

“In an age of great power competition and global turmoil, the nations of Southeast Asia find themselves in precarious and uncertain times. Domestic priorities and foreign relations must be balanced, as volatile geopolitical and economic forces both threaten instability and promise growth and prosperity. This edited volume delivers unique perspectives on a dynamic region, one that continues to dominate international discourse. Its various chapters are sure to spark lively debate and deepen our understanding of complex issues of tremendous global import.”

“This book unveils Southeast Asia’s intricate balancing act through a scholarly lens, revealing the challenges and opportunities amidst great power rivalry. Each chapter offers a profound analysis of regional complexities, delving into nuanced strategies adopted by Southeast Asian nations. This book serves as a valuable resource for scholars, policymakers, and students in international relations and security studies, providing valuable insights into the region’s dynamic evolution.”

“One of the most interesting features of today´s international affairs is provided by some of Southeast Asian countries’ position towards the US-China strategic competition – going along with the US in security matters and with China in economic ones. This fascinating and important book, edited by Indu Saxena and Stephen R, Nagy, analyzes in deep this peculiar phenomenon.”

“Southeast Asia is the crucible of the U.S.-China competition. Indu Saxena, Stephen Nagy, and the contributors to this volume provide invaluable insight into how key nations in the region see the two powers and the resulting security dynamics. It is an important read for anyone trying to make sense of Southeast Asia’s place in the Indo-Pacific.”

“The Southeast Asian countries are in quest of “strategic autonomy” to navigate the competitive waters of quasi cold war between the U.S. and China. Indu Saxena and Stephen Nagy have co-edited the volume to explain the complex choices encountered by the Southeast Asian countries to maintain their economic ties with China and strategic and economic partnerships with the U.S. These countries, by seeking strategic autonomy, want to duck the emerging regional geopolitical paradoxes. Rich in facts and analysis, this compendium is an invaluable addition to existing literature on Southeast Asian developments.”

“I strongly recommend this insightful volume. It is refreshing to read the work of scholars who are embedded in the region. The authors offer a novel and effective antidote to many of the conventional perceptions of developments in Southeast Asia, as these nations attempt to wrestle with new complexities in a challenging regional and global system.”

“The growing significance of the understanding of the Indo-Pacific has been consistent with the escalation in US-China rivalry. While the rivalry has been extensively discussed, much less attention has been devoted to the implications for Southeast Asian countries. For most countries of Southeast Asia, the wider discourse of the Indo-Pacific is fraught with unease, arising from the avoidable issue of choosing sides in the rivalry. The dilemmas and specific nuances of responses from the region have been elaborately captured by this volume. The essays in this volume will contribute significantly to the knowledge and understanding of implications for Southeast Asia as the Indo-Pacific construct deepens its strategic foundation.”