Kevin Chen
@kxachen.bsky.social
Associate Research Fellow for the US Programme at RSIS, Singapore. Twitter emigre. US foreign policy in Southeast Asia, infrastructure, digital economy issues and more.
Pinned
Kevin Chen
@kxachen.bsky.social
· Nov 14
Engaging the Eagle - Exploring U.S. Foreign Policy in Southeast Asia
Podcast · USP-RSIS · Want to hear about the latest developments and prospects for U.S.-Southeast Asia ties? Tune in to our podcast as we explore these topics with our network of regional experts. En...
open.spotify.com
Hi! Welcome to my profile. I'm a researcher in the U.S. Program at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, and the host of our in-house podcast.
Stick around for takes on U.S. strategy, infrastructure hijinks, and other news in the region.
open.spotify.com/show/5Ytv8W5...
Stick around for takes on U.S. strategy, infrastructure hijinks, and other news in the region.
open.spotify.com/show/5Ytv8W5...
"Skeptics may argue that such an arrangement is infeasible... But the reality is that leaders in Washington and allied capitals are still working to deepen military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific despite economic and diplomatic tensions."
The Case for a Pacific Defense Pact
America needs a new Asian alliance to counter China.
www.foreignaffairs.com
May 28, 2025 at 2:38 AM
"Skeptics may argue that such an arrangement is infeasible... But the reality is that leaders in Washington and allied capitals are still working to deepen military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific despite economic and diplomatic tensions."
"While the scope of price hikes remains unclear, American consumers are growing cautious. An index tracking U.S. consumer sentiment fell in May to its lowest level since June 2022, when inflation peaked at 9.1%, according to a preliminary reading released by the University of Michigan."
China tariffs will push up US prices in coming weeks, manufacturers warn
Trump's trade war hits makers of goods ranging from clothing to highchairs
asia.nikkei.com
May 28, 2025 at 2:17 AM
"While the scope of price hikes remains unclear, American consumers are growing cautious. An index tracking U.S. consumer sentiment fell in May to its lowest level since June 2022, when inflation peaked at 9.1%, according to a preliminary reading released by the University of Michigan."
"An option being developed by the Pentagon is to pull out roughly 4,500 troops and move them to other locations in the Indo-Pacific region, including to Guam... The idea is... part of an informal policy review on dealing with North Korea, two of the officials said."
Exclusive | U.S. Considers Withdrawing Thousands of Troops From South Korea
The Trump administration is contemplating the redeployment of about 4,500 U.S. forces to Guam or other locations in the region.
www.wsj.com
May 23, 2025 at 2:20 AM
"An option being developed by the Pentagon is to pull out roughly 4,500 troops and move them to other locations in the Indo-Pacific region, including to Guam... The idea is... part of an informal policy review on dealing with North Korea, two of the officials said."
Reposted by Kevin Chen
LEFT: Trump says they’ve agreed to a trade deal with China.
RIGHT: China says they’ve “reached an agreement” to talk more.
RIGHT: China says they’ve “reached an agreement” to talk more.
May 11, 2025 at 7:23 PM
LEFT: Trump says they’ve agreed to a trade deal with China.
RIGHT: China says they’ve “reached an agreement” to talk more.
RIGHT: China says they’ve “reached an agreement” to talk more.
"The 'full and comprehensive' trade deal between the US and the UK announced in a rush today by President Donald Trump and PM Keir Starmer is no such thing... As Trump admitted in his press conference, the 'final details' still need to be 'written up in the coming weeks.'"
What is in the new US-UK trade deal?
WASHINGTON: The "breakthrough" US-UK trade deal announced Thursday (May 8) by President Donald Trump is the first agreement to be unveiled since he slapped steep tariffs on allies and adversaries alik...
www.channelnewsasia.com
May 9, 2025 at 1:40 AM
"The 'full and comprehensive' trade deal between the US and the UK announced in a rush today by President Donald Trump and PM Keir Starmer is no such thing... As Trump admitted in his press conference, the 'final details' still need to be 'written up in the coming weeks.'"
“We suspect that tariff rates, nontariff barriers and digital trade are all on the list — and there are difficult issues to address on all of these,"
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/07/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/07/b...
Trump Administration to Announce Trade Deal With Britain
www.nytimes.com
May 8, 2025 at 4:36 AM
“We suspect that tariff rates, nontariff barriers and digital trade are all on the list — and there are difficult issues to address on all of these,"
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/07/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/07/b...
Reposted by Kevin Chen
sure what the hell. Announce thirteen billion percent tariffs next. 73 quintillion percent. eleventy gabillion percent. 29 brazillian percent. 35 dodecagorillion percent. who cares.
April 22, 2025 at 2:33 AM
sure what the hell. Announce thirteen billion percent tariffs next. 73 quintillion percent. eleventy gabillion percent. 29 brazillian percent. 35 dodecagorillion percent. who cares.
Reposted by Kevin Chen
All the focus on the US-China contest for influence is missing the ways regional states are building up a resilient fabric of bilateral and minilateral linkages outside the orbit of the two great powers, both in trade and security.
Japan (and the Philippines) have been out in front of this trend.
Japan (and the Philippines) have been out in front of this trend.
South Korea, Vietnam pledge cooperation as US tariffs loom
South Korea and Vietnam said on Wednesday they agreed to cooperate closely, after the announcement of U.S. tariffs that pose a major challenge for both economies and for companies like Samsung Electronics with big investments in Vietnam.
www.reuters.com
April 16, 2025 at 12:37 PM
All the focus on the US-China contest for influence is missing the ways regional states are building up a resilient fabric of bilateral and minilateral linkages outside the orbit of the two great powers, both in trade and security.
Japan (and the Philippines) have been out in front of this trend.
Japan (and the Philippines) have been out in front of this trend.
Reposted by Kevin Chen
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his aides shut down a State Department office that tracks and counters global disinformation from foreign actors, including the governments of China, Russia and Iran.
Trump Aides Close State Dept. Office on Foreign Disinformation
Secretary of State Marco Rubio put about 40 employees on leave who had tracked disinformation by China, Russia, Iran and terrorist groups.
www.nytimes.com
April 17, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his aides shut down a State Department office that tracks and counters global disinformation from foreign actors, including the governments of China, Russia and Iran.
The only thing worse than crushingly high tariffs is uncertainty over crushingly high tariffs.
WELKER: There is currently an exclusion for some products
NAVARRO: It's not an exclusion
WELKER: The White House called it an exclusion
NAVARRO: It's not an exclusion
WELKER: The White House called it an exclusion
April 14, 2025 at 1:41 AM
The only thing worse than crushingly high tariffs is uncertainty over crushingly high tariffs.
And there it is. Right before the US markets open, too. Who's going to blink first?
China slaps retaliatory tariffs of 84% on U.S. goods in response to Trump
www.cnbc.com
April 9, 2025 at 11:38 AM
And there it is. Right before the US markets open, too. Who's going to blink first?
Our monthly podcast episode is out! Give it a listen at the links in the post, and follow @usp-rsis.bsky.social for more on US foreign policy in Southeast Asia.
For our latest episode, we sat down with Jude Blanchette from the RAND Corporation to talk about US-China ties and the prospects for a deal between Trump and Beijing. Check it out at the links below:
Audio platforms: creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/...
Audio platforms: creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/...
USP Podcast - Ep 24: Deal or No Deal - US-China Ties Under Trump 2.0
YouTube video by RSIS NTU
youtu.be
April 9, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Our monthly podcast episode is out! Give it a listen at the links in the post, and follow @usp-rsis.bsky.social for more on US foreign policy in Southeast Asia.
I wonder how much of that will be going to companies like Palantir.
President Trump announces he'll be requesting a record-breaking $1 trillion Pentagon budget.
"$1 trillion, and nobody's seen anything like it. We have to build our military and we're very cost conscious. But the military is something that we have to build, and we have to be strong"
"$1 trillion, and nobody's seen anything like it. We have to build our military and we're very cost conscious. But the military is something that we have to build, and we have to be strong"
April 9, 2025 at 6:20 AM
I wonder how much of that will be going to companies like Palantir.
I mean, the first few options are pretty normal, but then you get to the last one. He wants US trading partners to write checks to WHOM!?
April 8, 2025 at 1:36 PM
I mean, the first few options are pretty normal, but then you get to the last one. He wants US trading partners to write checks to WHOM!?
"To me, a deficit is a loss."
This shows the problem with the approach that some Southeast Asian countries took to try and avoid tariffs. How are they supposed to buy enough stuff from the US to balance their trade?
This shows the problem with the approach that some Southeast Asian countries took to try and avoid tariffs. How are they supposed to buy enough stuff from the US to balance their trade?
Trump: "I spoke to a lot of leaders -- European, Asian, from all over the world. They are dying to make a deal, but I said 'we're not gonna have deficits with your country' ... to me a deficit is a loss. We're gonna have surpluses or at worst we're gonna be breaking even."
April 7, 2025 at 1:51 AM
"To me, a deficit is a loss."
This shows the problem with the approach that some Southeast Asian countries took to try and avoid tariffs. How are they supposed to buy enough stuff from the US to balance their trade?
This shows the problem with the approach that some Southeast Asian countries took to try and avoid tariffs. How are they supposed to buy enough stuff from the US to balance their trade?
Industry “absolutely will not get back up from Congress” right now, the trade group executive conceded, adding that Republicans are “holding hands jumping off the cliff and hoping that it’s a very short drop.”
April 5, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Industry “absolutely will not get back up from Congress” right now, the trade group executive conceded, adding that Republicans are “holding hands jumping off the cliff and hoping that it’s a very short drop.”
Can we hit 90%? 100%? Stay tuned to find out!
JPMORGAN: “.. Considerable uncertainty, .. [but] we have enough conviction to state that yesterday’s announcement of a 22% tariff increase pushes the risks of US/global recession to 60% from our previously stated risk of 40% from a month ago.”
April 4, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Can we hit 90%? 100%? Stay tuned to find out!
Ah, now see, this is truly reciprocal. 34% for 34%. /s
China retaliates in global trade war with sweeping tariffs on US goods
The action is a countermeasure to sweeping tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.
www.straitstimes.com
April 4, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Ah, now see, this is truly reciprocal. 34% for 34%. /s
A sobering read, but also a necessary one.
"We cannot overstate what has just happened. It took just 71 days for Donald Trump to wreck the American economy, mortally wound NATO, and destroy the American-led world order."
"We cannot overstate what has just happened. It took just 71 days for Donald Trump to wreck the American economy, mortally wound NATO, and destroy the American-led world order."
The American Age Is Over
Emergency Triad: The United States commits imperial suicide.
www.thebulwark.com
April 4, 2025 at 6:21 AM
A sobering read, but also a necessary one.
"We cannot overstate what has just happened. It took just 71 days for Donald Trump to wreck the American economy, mortally wound NATO, and destroy the American-led world order."
"We cannot overstate what has just happened. It took just 71 days for Donald Trump to wreck the American economy, mortally wound NATO, and destroy the American-led world order."
"...a U.S. official briefed on the matter said Laura Loomer... called for General Haugh’s removal during her Oval Office meeting on Thursday... General Haugh was also seen by the Trump administration as moving too slowly on its mandate to eliminate diversity programs." 🤦♂️
Head of National Security Agency and Cyber Command Is Ousted
No reason was given for the removal of Gen. Timothy D. Haugh, but the far-right activist Laura Loomer had called for his ouster in a meeting with President Trump, an official said.
www.nytimes.com
April 4, 2025 at 4:24 AM
"...a U.S. official briefed on the matter said Laura Loomer... called for General Haugh’s removal during her Oval Office meeting on Thursday... General Haugh was also seen by the Trump administration as moving too slowly on its mandate to eliminate diversity programs." 🤦♂️
In this year's ISEAS State of Southeast Asia survey, respondents picked the US over China (52.3% vs 47.7%) if forced to choose, reversing their position from last year (US 49.5% vs China at 50.5%). I wonder what changed in Laos and Brunei...
April 3, 2025 at 3:32 AM
In this year's ISEAS State of Southeast Asia survey, respondents picked the US over China (52.3% vs 47.7%) if forced to choose, reversing their position from last year (US 49.5% vs China at 50.5%). I wonder what changed in Laos and Brunei...
"Mr Trump also signed an order on April 2 to close a duty-free exemption for small parcels from China, in a move likely to severely disrupt the import of popular low-cost products."
Shein and Temu are about to go through some things, too.
Shein and Temu are about to go through some things, too.
China urges US to ‘immediately cancel’ new tariffs, calls for ‘dialogue’
China will resolutely take countermeasures to safeguard its rights and interests, the Commerce Ministry said. Read more at straitstimes.com.
www.straitstimes.com
April 3, 2025 at 3:06 AM
"Mr Trump also signed an order on April 2 to close a duty-free exemption for small parcels from China, in a move likely to severely disrupt the import of popular low-cost products."
Shein and Temu are about to go through some things, too.
Shein and Temu are about to go through some things, too.
Man, there's nothing "reciprocal" about these tariffs. Even countries that have FTAs and a trade deficit with the US (i.e., Singapore) got slapped with a 10% tariff. And don't get me started on the rest of Southeast Asia... This is just vindictive and unilateral.
WH has now confirmed: this is insane nypost.com/2025/04/02/u...
April 3, 2025 at 2:04 AM
Man, there's nothing "reciprocal" about these tariffs. Even countries that have FTAs and a trade deficit with the US (i.e., Singapore) got slapped with a 10% tariff. And don't get me started on the rest of Southeast Asia... This is just vindictive and unilateral.
Oh, they're going to retaliate, alright. Things are about to get very, very ugly.
* BESSENT: ADVISES COUNTRIES NOT TO PANIC, NOT TO RETALIATE 🇺🇸
April 3, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Oh, they're going to retaliate, alright. Things are about to get very, very ugly.
Sweet everloving mercy. 46% on Vietnam? 49% on Cambodia? This is utterly devastating.
Full tariff list here. Canada and Mexico are, confusingly, missing from the list.
April 2, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Sweet everloving mercy. 46% on Vietnam? 49% on Cambodia? This is utterly devastating.