The high stakes for Southeast Asia of the 2016 U.S. presidential election

The stakes for Southeast Asia are high for one of the poten ally most decisive American presiden al elec ons in recent history for at least three reasons. The first reason is that four members of the 12‐na on Trans‐Pacific Partnership (TPP) free‐trade agreement—Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam—are from Southeast Asia. The second reason is that the future of the American military pivot to the Asia‐Pacific impinges closely on the strategic fortunes of Southeast Asia. The third reason is that the direc on of U.S. rela ons with China, arguably the most important bilateral rela onship in the world, in the new Administra on will redraw the broad parameters of peace and prosperity within which Southeast Asia will thrive—or will not.