Asia Society Australia will host a Defence Strategic Policy Grant workshop, ‘Southeast Asian Decision-Making Amidst US–China Conflict’, in Canberra on Friday, 9 May 2025.

Supported by a grant from the Department of Defence, the event will showcase preliminary findings from a two-year research study conducted by Dr Natalie Sambhi (Asia Society Australia and Verve Research) and Dr Bich Tran (Verve Research). The study, ‘Factors Shaping Maritime Southeast Asia’s Decision-Making Amidst US–China Armed Conflict’, explores how key states in the region—Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam—are likely to respond in the event of a major conflict between the United States and China.

Drawing on over 60 interviews with retired officials, political advisors, civil servants, think tank analysts, and academics, the research identifies domestic political priorities, institutional constraints, elite perceptions, and alliance considerations as central to shaping national responses.

The workshop will begin with welcoming remarks from Anthony Bubalo, CEO of Asia Society Australia. Natalie and Bich will present a summary of the study’s methodology and emerging insights. This will be followed by feedback from invited experts on each country case study, and then an open-floor discussion with all workshop participants.

The event will convene representatives from government, defence, academia, and think tanks to deliberate on how Southeast Asia’s decision-makers balance national interests with regional and global pressures, and what this means for Australia’s strategic engagement.

The discussion will be off the record and is strictly by invitation only.

This event is supported by the Department of Defence.