Since the end of World War II, the United States and its partners in East Asia have had a tacit understanding that the U.S. would provide security guarantees to its partners in the region so they can focus on economic growth, stability and prosperity. Japan and South Korea were the immediate benefactors but so too were China and Southeast Asian countries as the understanding meant they could concentrate on their socio-economic development instead of security activities that would have diverted valuable financial resources to the military, delaying economic and social development.
China's emergence as the dominant economy within the region in 2010 led to states in the region looking to China for their economic prosperity, but increasingly looking to the U.S. for their security. This economic engagement with China and security hedging with the U.S. has allowed Southeast Asian states to remain focused on socio-economic development, even as territorial disputes in the South China Sea were coming to a boil.
In the wake of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's electoral victory, many countries in Northeast and Southeast Asia are trying to get to grips with what his positions and commitment to the region will be and how they will affect the delicate economic engagement and security hedging strategies of countries in the region.