Advertisement
Russia romances Southeast Asia with trade and arms, but it’s no match for China
- Russian overtures have been welcomed by Southeast Asia amid trade war uncertainties and disputes in the South China Sea
- But even in embracing Moscow, the countries realise the limits of this courtship, for Russia’s primary relationship in the region is still with China
Reading Time:7 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Russians poked fun at Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s ill-fitting suit and slightly askew tie when he met the comparatively dapper Prime Minister Dimitri Medvedev last week. “Did he just leave the pub? Does he know what [state visit] protocol is?” a Russian journalist tweeted.
Advertisement
But for Moscow, Duterte’s five-day visit was no laughing matter. Duterte, 74, was the guest of honour at the Valdai Discussion Club – a global forum where Russian President Vladimir Putin airs his foreign policy ideas – in Sochi, taken on a tour of the Kremlin and awarded an honorary degree.
He and Putin agreed to boost defence and trade ties, and Duterte urged Russian firms to invest in railway and transport infrastructure as part of his “Build, Build, Build” programme to drive growth in the Philippines.
Duterte’s trip – his second since taking office in 2016 – was just one of many recent meetings between Russian and Southeast Asian heads of state that have come amid a drive by Moscow to strengthen ties with its eastern neighbours.
Advertisement
Russia has over the past two decades engaged with the region bilaterally and through various forums such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. But Putin’s first state visit to Singapore last November sent a clear signal of Moscow’s focus on the region.
He attended the 31st East Asia Summit – a meeting between Asean leaders and eight dialogue partners – for the first time and, after that, Asean signed a memo to boost trade with the executive body of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union.
Advertisement