Academic Papers : Lifetime Collection

Issues and Challenges in Mainland Southeast Asian Region

The United States possess historical power since ancient times, from its regional zone extending in an international context, maintaining its milestone glory until present times. It has influence in almost every single country all over the world, particularly in Asia. 

Throughout times, Asia has been subjected to dynamic changes in political and economical advantage causing other continental countries to establish lateral agreements and connections for stability and security after experiencing warfare expansion and colonization occurrence the past decades. But as the United States marked its position in Asia, specifically in Southeast Asia, multiple competitors meddle their businesses such as the Republic of China. 

China, as a part of the Asian continent, has already performed actions upon strengthening its statehood while establishing relationships for multiple decades with its neighboring countries particularly the mainland Southeast Asian countries including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, and Vietnam. 

Since pre-ASEAN to post-trade agreements were established, China played a great character in establishing connections and improvements with the Southeast Asian countries' economic developments. In 2010, the China ASEAN Free Trade Agreement or also known as CAFTA gave a great gateway for both members in upholding stronger and more stable relationships in terms of economic progress, but this relationship alarmed the connection of the United States in the involved region. The growing interest of China influenced the United States' manifested interest with the Southeast Asian members. The rivalry in power and control ignited the competition between the great countries, leaving the contended upon the region in the midst of gameplay while enjoying advantages and disadvantages in dealings. 

The regional power of China was no threat to the global power of the United States before, not until it has been remarkably revealed the growing power and dominance in Southeast Asia making it the second-largest economy as it surpassed Japan in 2010, a step behind the United States. 

 Multiple arguments, research, studies, etc, has been constructed by the Southeast Asian up to global politicians, researchers, diplomats personalities, and scholars contending their views and perspectives to the competition of the United States and China within the region, latterly opening the counter-effects they may either enjoy or suffer. 

For years, it has been not that formally tackled how the interest of other countries affect the progress and development of mainland Southeast Asia, but as their motives and agenda are being exposed, as much as China's intents with expansion and domination in the South China Sea, many Southeast Asian countries were provoked and contended their rights in the subjected areas. 

As China did not acknowledge the decision of the International Court, it alarmed the affected states and nations' security and relationship with China, giving an advantage for the United States to strengthen its affairs in the region by providing support and contending the region's rights. 

At present, it is still in the process of resolution and relationship rekindling between the included members' broken agreements and affected connections, for a possibility of war and another nuclear bombing might end the heated issue, military preparations in the midst of the pandemic crisis came as a major priority.