08/08/2025
In an article published in South China Morning Post on August 8, 2025, Professor Julien Chaisse comments on how Beijing is leveraging U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed 100 percent tariff on imported semiconductors to enhance its regional influence. He observes that China is deliberately projecting itself as the “more predictable option,” offering policy clarity rather than perfection — a message designed to reassure ASEAN leaders facing economic uncertainty.
Professor Chaisse notes that while Southeast Asian countries have traditionally avoided taking sides between Washington and Beijing, persistent disruption from one side may shift choices from political preference to economic necessity. His analysis underscores how U.S. tariff unpredictability creates strategic space for China to consolidate its role as a stable partner in the region.
Zhao Ziwen and Dewey Sim, “Will Trump’s chip tariffs tilt the balance for China in Southeast Asia?”, South China Morning Post, August 8, 2025.
Read the full article here: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321133/will-trumps-chip-tariffs-tilt-balance-china-southeast-asia
