Southeast Asian nations such as Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, but also ASEAN, are hedging toward both China and the United States. However, China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea may cause some countries, notably the Philippines, to reconsider their hedging strategy. Undermining the hedging behavior of Southeast Asian countries, however, will not improve the security and influence of China – or the United States – but would rather make the region less safe and stable.
