Countries look to diversify away form China with the China +1 strategy. Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand have been key in this process.

In early December 2025, one of Southeast Asia’s most persistent territorial disputes surged into intense armed conflict, as Thailand and Cambodia exchanged artillery fire, airstrikes and rocket attacks along their shared border. This renewed violence has killed dozens of soldiers and civilians, as well as displacing thousands of people, and drawn urgent calls from regional and global powers for a ceasefire. Despite ongoing talks meant to halt the hostilities, and a peace deal