Dr. Cheng-Chwee Kuik, an Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada Indo-Pacific Visiting Scholar, will discuss how small states – especially in Southeast Asia – are navigating this period of high-stakes international uncertainty. He will draw insights from his recent research on how these states are hedging pragmatically and prudently, especially in their relationships with China, the United States, and middle powers, and why their alignment decisions might shift and vary over time.
Dr. Cheng-Chwee Kuik is a Professor of International Relations at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies, and his presentation will be based on his new book, Theorizing Hedging: Explaining Shifts and Variations in Alignment Choices (Cambridge University Press, 2026).
