This book collects some of the most influential scholars in international relations who focus on Asia globally in exploring the challenges of diplomacy faced in Asia as US policy drastically changes. The president-elect has suggested policies which, if implemented, would radically transform the way that the region functions; what will this mean in practice? China's government is also retrenching nationalist positions; what is the future of China, and what does that mean for the region? A wide range of distinguished scholars, concerned about the future, have contributed their thoughts in an attempt to spark a global dialogue.

This book aims to examine the multiple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on China-Southeast Asia relations from both Chinese and Southeast Asian perspectives. It invites many officials and scholars from the leading think-tanks and famous universities in China and Southeast Asian states to contribute and tries to reveal how has China-Southeast Asia relations been reshaping during/after the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss what kind of measures could be taken to push forward China-Southeast Asia relations and thus ensuring the peace and prosperity in the region. The main content of this book is divided into 10 parts, in which the first chapter briefly introduces the COVID-19 situation in China and Southeast Asia, China’s anti-COVID efforts, and the impacts of the COVID-19 on China-Southeast Asia relations from Chinese and Southeast Asian perspectives. Chapter 2 examines the dual influence of the pandemic on the construction of China-ASEAN community of a shared future and gave some useful policy recommendations on improving China-Southeast Asia relations. The following 8 chapters go deep into the Southeast Asian states’ response to COVID-19 and the economic, political and social effects of the COVID-19 on Southeast Asia–China relations, and look forward the future development of such relations. In addition, it also analyzes Southeast states’ reactions to the intense Sino-US power rivalry during/after the COVID-19 pandemic. This book is probably the first comprehensive study that investigates the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on China–Southeast Asia relations from both Chinese and Southeast Asian perspectives. It would not only open up a new area of study on China and Southeast Asia relations, but provide insightful observations and useful information for governments, companies and social organizations to facilitate cooperation in trade and investment, public health, and people-to-people exchanges. Therefore, the intended readership not only includes the academics but also officials, businessmen, journalists and social activists. The most important feature of this book is that it points out China–Southeast Asia relations would be reshaped by COVID-19 in the long run and analyzes how it would be reshaped. It also shows a well-balanced view on the COVID-19 and China–Southeast Asia relations as both university scholars, think-tank experts and government officials are involved in this book.

Based on scenarios produced by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the OECD Development Centre, the authors of this report consider ways in which long-term Asian growth can be consolidated to the benefit of the global economy as a whole.

There is a role for Asia’s financial sector to play to address the challenges associated with the region’s changing demographics and infrastructure investment needs. Enhancing financial innovation and integration in the region could facilitate intra-regional financial flows and mobilize resources from the aging savers in industrialized Asia to finance infrastructure investment in emerging Asia. Strengthening the financial ties within the region as well as with the global financial markets alongside appropriate prudential frameworks could also help diversify sources of financing and reduce the cost of funding in emerging Asia. Finally, financial deepening could help ease the potential overheating from scaling up infrastructure investment and hence achieve a more balanced growth in the region.