Development without Dominance

The rise of Chinese aid to Southeast Asia

Sep 24, 2026

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By: Dharendra Wardhana and Danifansen Simanjuntak

A couple in northern Laos walk on the dam of the Nam Ou 1 hydropower plant invested in by PowerChina. Photo from Xinhua

Southeast Asia has become one of the most consequential arenas to witness the shifting balance between Chinese and American influence play out. Home to approximately 700 million people an…

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