Fikry A Rahman, the head of foreign affairs for Malaysian think tank "Bait Al Amanah" commented that the biggest challenge for ASEAN member states lie in understanding Trump's policies, given his temperament and tendency for volatile shifts in policy.
Although Trump has yet to have a clear strategy in sight, the policies he will implement remain in line with the long-term strategic planning by the United States. It is evident that Trump will adopt a more hawkish policy against China, and ASEAN must ready itself for this.
Our stance is clear. ASEAN will not choose sides, and will maintain healthy relations with every great powers. Trump's transactional policies will affect many areas and sectors. Malaysia, for instance, has been focusing on its semiconductor and digital sector development. This is something that we need to navigate during Trump's second term.
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