Southeast Asia is experiencing a clear shift in power. China is expanding its influence at an unprecedented pace, while the United States, long seen as the region’s anchor for trade, security, and diplomacy, appears increasingly peripheral. A new report from the Sydney-based Lowy Institute highlights just how much Washington’s sway appears to have declined. The report paints a stark picture of this decline, pointing to tariffs, aid cuts and visa restrictions under Donald Trump as the catalysts eroding US sway.