Southeast Asia is scrambling to recalibrate trade and investment as the US revives sweeping tariff measures that raise costs, disrupt supply chains, and pressure governments to tighten trade enforcement and reduce dependence on China. The discussion then turns to semiconductors, rare earths and critical minerals, where ASEAN countries are accelerating integration, signing new cooperation agreements, and assessing how to position themselves amid US–China competition. We also examine future trends—from the rise of renewable energy to the push for regional grids, EV ecosystems and long-term economic resilience in the region. Can ASEAN reduce vulnerability to major power rivalry while sustaining fast growth? What opportunities and risks does this shifting environment create for Taiwan? In this episode, we unpack tariff tensions, track supply-chain realignments, and explore how regional economies are adapting to a rapidly changing global order.
*Recorded on January 8, 2026 at 2pm Taiwan Standard Time
Host: Wen-Ti Sung
Producer: Chinyeh Chiang
Our guests:
Kristy Tsun Tzu Hsu
- Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research Taiwan ASEAN Studies Center Director
Andrew Kam Jia Yi
- National University of Malaysia Principal Research Fellow and Professor
25:45
24:27
26:29
23:40
24:46
26:17
25:37
24:47
23:31
25:47
24:11
26:02
26:31
25:31
26:47
24:41