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Hunter Marston

@hmarston.bsky.social

380 followers 200 following 370 posts

PhD, IR @anubellschool.bsky.social. Hedging, SE Asia, great power competition, #Myanmar. Adjunct Fellow @seasia.csis.org. Associate @9Dashline.com. Ultra runner. Father.

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Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · Jun 18

In my latest @eastasiaforum.bsky.social, I show how SE Asian states are deepening hedging strategies in response to uncertainty re: Trump 2.0 rather than aligning with 🇺🇸 or 🇨🇳 1/3: eastasiaforum.org/2025/06/18/s...

Southeast Asia deepens hedging amid Trump 2.0 turbulence

Rather than choosing sides, Southeast Asia hedges against Trump’s unpredictability by strengthening military capabilities, diversifying partnerships, leveraging multilateralism and binding rivals.

eastasiaforum.org

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Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 1d

"The great rebalancing of area studies is underway. The question is not whether this shift will continue — it will — but whether Western institutions can adapt quickly enough to remain relevant in an increasingly multipolar academic landscape." eastasiaforum.org/2025/10/11/t...

The great rebalancing of area studies

Western cuts and China’s expansion are shifting area studies eastward, reshaping global knowledge production.

eastasiaforum.org

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Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 1d

Would make an interesting PhD project: Why do countries oppose China's island-building but not those of #Vietnam?

A) negative perceptions of 🇨🇳's rise & fear of its intentions
B) 🇻🇳's comparatively small size
C) some combination of these?
D) none of the above

thediplomat.com/2025/10/how-...

How Vietnam’s Non-Aligned Foreign Policy Helps Bolster Its Position in the South China Sea

Hanoi’s expansion of its outposts in the Spratly Islands has prompted little opposition from rival claimants, including China.

thediplomat.com

Reposted by Hunter Marston

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1d

Trump's conversation with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is caught on a hot mic. Hard to tell exactly what they are talking about, but Subianto asks Trump about meeting Eric Trump and Don Jr, who supposedly have nothing to do with government while they run the family business.

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Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 5d

"China's move to prevent the regime from collapsing has led other countries in the region to shift their diplomatic postures, discounting the risk of regime failure and engaging more proactively with [the generals]." asia.nikkei.com/spotlight/my...

China's tilt boosts regime in Myanmar's civil war

Beijing's drones, military technology transfer and pressure on ethnic rebels have helped the generals

asia.nikkei.com

Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 7d

This kind of take-it-or-leave-it coercive bargaining won't go over well in ASEAN and is likely to cause Malaysia to lose face with ASEAN counterparts while further eroding what little goodwill toward Washington remains: www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

Trump seeks peace ceremony spotlight at ASEAN summit

Trump wants to preside over a Thailand-Cambodia peace deal ceremony — and Chinese officials aren’t welcome.

www.politico.com

Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 8d

"Washington’s aggressive trade stance has prioritised the suffocation of Beijing’s access to cutting-edge semiconductor technology, setting the tone for Trump’s Malaysia visit." #Malaysia #semiconductors www.scmp.com/week-asia/ec...

Malaysia’s ‘2 kitchens’: an appetising solution to the US-China trade war?

Malaysia’s trade minister says companies will inevitably need to build two supply chains to cater to both US and Chinese demands.

www.scmp.com

Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 10d

If anyone has the clout to secure Daw Suu Kyi's release, it's Beijing. But it won't happen until after the #Myanmar junta's sham election taking place in Dec '25/Jan '26: www.scmp.com/news/china/d...

Aung San Suu Kyi’s son seeks China’s help to secure her release from Myanmar jail

Kim Aris says Beijing would benefit from such a move, given its extensive investments in the war-torn, junta-led Southeast Asian country.

www.scmp.com

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Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 10d

"two Malaysian sources [said] that Beijing was willing to provide processing technology in exchange for access to Malaysia’s 16.1 million metric tonnes of rare earth deposits, seeking to counter competition from Australia’s Lynas Rare Earths..." www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nat...

Malaysia, China in talks on rare earths refinery project, says report

Sources say that Khazanah Nasional may partner with a Chinese state-owned firm in a venture that would give Beijing access to Malaysia’s reserves.

www.freemalaysiatoday.com

Reposted by Hunter Marston

Barb McQuade @barbmcquade.bsky.social · 10d

This is an old formula used by authoritarian regimes. Stoke chaos and blame scapegoats to justify the use of force.

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Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 11d

"If the above trend persists, Malaysia might find itself moving even further away from its non-aligned, neutral, and equidistant stances that served it well in the past." www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpre...

The evolution of Malaysian foreign policy

Kuala Lumpur once prized non-alignment above all else – now it sees Beijing as more reliable than lectures from the West.

www.lowyinstitute.org

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Reposted by Hunter Marston

Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 14d

With the annual #ASEAN Summit and #APEC coming up at the end of the month, I wrote something for Global Asia on the 'Asia-Pacific vs Indo-Pacific and the Future of APEC': www.globalasia.org/v20no3/cover...

Asia-Pacific vs Indo-Pacific and the Future of APEC

For APEC to maintain its relevance as a force of neoliberalism and trade liberalism in the world, it must defend those principles.

www.globalasia.org

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Reposted by Hunter Marston

Dan Nexon @dhnexon.bsky.social · 12d

I had a talk with a friend about why neither of us are doing as much public-facing work as during Trump 1.0. The answer: no one who mattered listened.

So if someone with a line to D officials sees this: if you’re not planning for when Trump fucks w/ the election, you’ve already lost precious time.

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Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 13d

💯 The only thing I would change is the title: SE Asian countries have always started reorienting supply chains to reduce reliance on the U.S. market. This shift will leave 🇺🇸 out of this fast-growing region’s future: thehill.com/opinion/inte...

thehill.com

Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 13d

A visit by To Lam to Pyongyang would be in line with #Vietnam's multidirectional foreign policy & a timely reminder Hanoi is not aligning with the West (or China). But it will raise eyebrows in Washington & could create some friction in the bilateral 🇻🇳-🇺🇸 partnership. www.reuters.com/world/china/...

Vietnam's top leader to pay rare visit to North Korea in October, sources say

Vietnam's Communist Party chief To Lam is expected to visit North Korea next month, two Vietnamese officials said, marking the first visit in nearly 20 years for a Vietnamese leader to the largely isolated nation.

www.reuters.com

Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 14d

Asia-Pacific vs Indo-Pacific and the Future of APEC

For APEC to maintain its relevance as a force of neoliberalism and trade liberalism in the world, it must defend those principles.

www.globalasia.org

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Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 14d

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/w...

How Chinese Weapons Transformed a War Between Two Neighbors

www.nytimes.com

Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 18d

"If APEC is a Hummer, then the Xiangshan Forum is a BYD." 😂 Bravo @vanjackson.bsky.social www.un-diplomatic.com/p/us-and-chi...

US and Chinese Delegates Clash at the Xiangshan Forum

An everything, everywhere, all at once moment for nationalist chauvinism.

www.un-diplomatic.com

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Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 20d

www.thejakartapost.com/business/202...

US to seal Southeast Asia trade deals in coming months - Economy - The Jakarta Post

Tariff rates have been set at 19 percent and 20 percent for most of the region. Laos and Myanmar have been hit with a 40 percent rate, while Singapore has a 10 percent tariff.

www.thejakartapost.com

Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 20d

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...

China's lead over the US in South-East Asia is likely to grow

New research shows that China retains a very narrow edge over the United States as South-East Asia's most influential partner, with experts predicting it will soon pull further ahead as the Trump admi...

www.abc.net.au

Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 21d

Trump is quickly eroding goodwill and making the United States the laughing stock of the world, and China is eating our lunch. By 2028, US global leadership will be a distant memory. #UNGA www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Trump uses UN speech to attack global body as feckless and pernicious | First Thing

US president calls for countries to close their borders and expel foreigners. Plus, Kimmel says silencing comedians ‘anti-American’ in return to air

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Hunter Marston

Vincent Ni @nivincent.bsky.social · 23d

Kim ready for talks if U.S. gives up denuclearization demand

www.npr.org/2025/09/22/n...

North Korea's Kim Jong Un ready to talk if U.S. drops denuclearization demand

Kim told North Korea's legislature he's ready to resume talks, adding he had "good memories" of President Trump, despite ongoing tension over Washington's denuclearization stance.

www.npr.org

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Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 24d

“Don’t judge other countries too quickly. Everyone has their own vulnerabilities, their own threat assessment, their own opportunities, and they are making those necessary adjustments. They cannot behave like us, and we should not expect them to behave like us.” sc.mp/06fg7?utm_so...

‘Don’t judge too quickly’: Singapore defends Asean’s shifts amid China-US row

Vivian Balakrishnan says binary thinking should be avoided, and that Singapore is open to business with all countries.

sc.mp

Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 26d

"ASEAN, as we work together with key partners including the People’s Republic of China and others, we can provide a strong counterbalance to the rise of unilateralism, fragmentation, and protectionism, while advancing a just and equitable security governance system built on shared principles." 🧐

Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 26d

ASEAN Sec. Gen. Kao Kim Hourn: The principles of China's Global Governance Initiative (sovereign equality, respect for international law, multilateralism, people-centred development & concrete action) "align closely with ASEAN’s own long-standing commitments." 🤨 #ASEAN #SCO asean.org/wp-content/u...

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Hunter Marston @hmarston.bsky.social · 26d

OK, but no surprise. Trump's priority at the moment is a trade deal with China. Anything that might jeopardize that (or falls under the rubric of great power competition) is on hold until after a deal materializes: www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

Trump nixed $400 million in Taiwan military aid, pushing future arms sales

President Trump declined to approve more than $400M in military aid to Taiwan this summer, favoring future arms sales to the self-governing island China claims.