This lecture and colloquium, jointly organized by the Southeast Asia Center at SNUAC, the HK+ Mega Asia Research Project, and the Institute for Southeast Asian Studies Korea, examines and discusses China’s strategies toward Southeast Asia from both security and economic perspectives amid an international order characterized by increasing volatility and uncertainty.

We warmly invite your interest and participation in this event, which seeks to explore the evolving dynamics of international relations across Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia.

How is China approaching Southeast Asia under a second Trump presidency? This talk argues that, in contrast to an increasingly erratic and interventionist United States, China is adopting a strategy characterised by patience, caution, and discipline. Drawing on recent policy signals, including the April 2025 Central Conference on Work Relating to Neighbouring Countries and China’s National Security White Paper, it shows how Beijing seeks to consolidate ties with neighbouring states in order to secure conditions for its continued rise. In Southeast Asia, this results in a restrained security posture—apart from the South China Sea, given its strategic linkage to Taiwan—while simultaneously intensifying economic engagement. The region, in turn, is experiencing the effects of a renewed surge of Chinese trade and investment aimed at circumventing Western restrictions, amounting to a “China Shock 2.0.” This dual dynamic complicates prevailing narratives of strategic hedging and raises critical questions about Southeast Asia’s long-term development trajectory.