Can Asean dance its way out of having to take sides in the US-China conflict?

The US-China contest for domination of Southeast Asia was front and centre at the recent round of Asean-hosted meetings. As the confrontation in the South China Sea heats up and pressure mounts on Southeast Asian states to choose sides, they have increased the tempo of what Singapore’s former ambassador Bilahari Kausikan calls their instinctive “diplomatic dance” involving the ability to “balance, hedge and bandwagon”. Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will need to be quick…

from South China Morning Post https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3101449/can-asean-dance-its-way-out-having-take-sides-us-china-conflict