Recently, several Southeast Asian countries have experienced a series of synchronized policy adjustments, including the Myanmar military's bombing of the KK Park, the Philippines' passage of the "Anti-POGO Law", the Hun Sen family in Cambodia severing ties with certain factions, and the rapid resolution of the Thai-Cambodian border dispute. These actions coincide with the signing of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0, the tax reduction framework between Thailand and Europe and America, and other multilateral agreements, reflecting a deep restructuring of the regional economic landscape under the influence of major capital. Surveys show that over 50% of ASEAN citizens acknowledge the economic dominance of China and the US, but only 25% believe that major powers will respect the interests of smaller countries, highlighting the reality of sovereignty concessions in regional cooperation.
Policy Adjustments and Clearing Actions in Multiple Countries
Recently, the Southeast Asian region has seen several policy-driven clearing actions: the Myanmar military bombed the KK scam park, coinciding with the signing of the China-ASEAN 3.0 agreement two weeks prior; the Philippines passed the "Anti-POGO Law" to completely ban offshore gambling operations; the Hun Sen family in Cambodia broke with the "Orange Juice" faction; the Thai-Cambodian border dispute was quickly resolved. These actions are synchronized with the signing of several international agreements, including the free trade agreement between Thailand and Europe, the US tax reduction framework, and the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 agreement, showing a correlation between regional policy adjustments and international capital flows.
Major Capital Strategies and Regional Impact
The United States, by granting tariff exemptions and setting safety standards, targets Southeast Asia's critical mineral resources such as lithium and nickel; China promotes a "digital + green + supply chain" system layout through the Free Trade Area 3.0, requiring regional security guarantees and compliance environments; Europe intervenes with environmental, patent, and intellectual property standards, controlling high-end industries. The three major economic powers segment the Southeast Asian economic strata through different strategies, forcing localities to concede some sovereignty for cooperation opportunities, such as Thailand opening up telecommunications foreign capital, Cambodia conceding port rights, and Philippine gambling profits flowing to American Caesar Entertainment.
Local Responses and Development Realities
The "Southeast Asia Situation 2025" survey report shows that 50% of ASEAN citizens recognize the economic dominance of China and the US, but only 25% believe that major powers will respect the interests of smaller countries. Regional economic development accompanies significant sovereignty concessions, with Cambodia conceding 20% of port rights to integrate into the supply chain, and 30% of profits from the Philippine Solaire Casino flowing to American Caesar Entertainment. Despite the superficial prosperity brought by the opening of the West Port New District and the signing of logistics agreements, the public remains cautious about the "arranged prosperity", viewing Southeast Asia's "takeoff" as a reshuffling of pawns under the game of major powers rather than an autonomous rise.
