Engaging with Southeast Asia: The Ambassadors’ Perspective

2023 marked a significant year for U.S. diplomacy in Southeast Asia as the United States signed comprehensive strategic partnerships with both Vietnam and Indonesia, advanced negotiations on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), and established the first U.S.–ASEAN center in Washington, DC. While Southeast Asia serves as a key driver of economic growth in the Indo-Pacific, the region confronts immense challenges—from the ongoing civil war in Myanmar and disputes in the South China Sea, to climate change and natural disasters, to successfully navigating the turbulent U.S.–China relationship.

How is the U.S. government responding to the region’s changing needs? How are U.S. businesses responding to new opportunities in the region?  How are Southeast Asian states managing the complexities of U.S.–China relations and what impact does strategic competition have on regional perceptions of the two powers? What can we expect from ASEAN in 2024 under Laos’ chairmanship?

Join us for this important conversation on U.S. engagement with Southeast Asia and ASEAN with The Hon. Marc E. Knapper, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, The Hon. Edgard D. Kagan, U.S. Ambassador-designate to Malaysia, and The Hon. Heather Variava, U.S. Ambassador to Laos, moderated by Daniel Russel, Vice President for Security and Diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute.