Asia’s New Game: Hedging Beyond the US-China Rivalry

Southeast Asian nations are no longer simply choosing sides between the United States and China. Instead, these states are following their own strategic goals in both politics and economics. They are building flexible networks of alliances—known as "alignment webs"—to protect their interests. This approach, often called "hedging," allows countries to avoid total reliance on any single global power. By focusing on their own "North Stars," or long-term national priorities, these nations are reshaping regional stability. The old debate over a rules-based international order is fading, replaced by a more practical, self-interested game of geopolitics and geoeconomics.