CSIS Indonesia this week released a new policy brief stating that current US trade measures represent not merely a temporary disruption but part of a broader structural shift toward a hybrid geoeconomic order in which multilateral rules coexist with geopolitical competition.
The commentary states that emerging economies in Southeast Asia and the wider Global South face heightened challenges in navigating trade relations, economic integration, and long-term development strategies within this evolving environment.
The brief states:
Recent trade measures adopted by the United States have reignited debate over whether the global trading system is undergoing a fundamental transformation. This commentary argues that current developments should not be seen solely as a temporary disruption driven by a single administration, but rather as part of a broader structural shift in the global economic landscape. The growing use of tariffs, industrial policy, and strategic trade instruments reflects the emergence of a hybrid geoeconomic order in which multilateral rules increasingly coexist with geopolitical competition.
Read the full commentary: Practical approach to the 2027 RCEP general review