People cross a street in front of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Reuters
Opinion
Opinion
As I see it
by Maria Siow
US needs a trade deal with Southeast Asia to counter China, not a democracy summit
At a time when China is determined to position itself as the dominant power in Southeast Asia, playing the democracy game is counterproductive
If the real purpose of the summit is to counter China’s influence, as is widely perceived, then it’s time for Washington to rival Beijing’s bid to forge strong economic links with the region