Southeast Asian leaders, whose countries are among those hardest hit by the economic fallout from the Iran war, gathered for a summit amid growing frustration with the US.
Washington has long been the ally of choice for the region, which has seen strong economic growth in previous years thanks largely to the American security umbrella, but various nations have begun hedging their ties to the US.
Malaysia has declared a trade deal with Washington “null and void,” the Philippines is mulling joint energy projects with China, and Thailand — which today reported higher-than-expected inflation — is reaching out to Beijing for assistance. The ASEAN talks look set to be an “angry summit,” Foreign Policy said.