From the global city state of Singapore to the 17,508 islands of Indonesia, the streets of Bangkok to the jungles of Vietnam, this region of 650 million is one of the most dynamic and fascinating regions in the world with a wide variation of geography, culture, economies, of risks and opportunities.
For companies that are interested in selling their goods and services or are looking to build their supply chains here, Southeast Asia offers incredible opportunities for those firms that are committed to the region. As more companies enter the Southeast Asia market, they will have to develop a greater understanding of how to better engage with the governments of the region to be successful and maximize their opportunities.
We will use this website to provide our perspectives on geopolitical events, political risks and analysis, economic analysis, trade and security related issues as they impact Southeast Asia and what it means to individuals and companies that are either doing business in the region or who are looking to enter the market.
By using the seven pillars of geopolitical analysis, (Geography, Politics, Economics, Security, Society, History, Technology), we will examine the Southeast Asia region broadly to understand its role in the current world and what its future might be over the next 5 to 10 years. Using the same lens of the seven pillars, we will also be conducting deeper dive into the individual countries of Southeast Asia with a report in Vietnam expected soon.
Finally, for the purpose of Asia Engagement, Southeast Asia (or SEA) will refer to the following 11 countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam. This is distinct from ASEAN which is a regional organization that consist of 10 out of the 11 countries (maybe in 2020 for Timor-Leste).