Commentary: The 250th birthday resolution Southeast Asia is hoping America will make

On the United States' two-hundred-fiftieth birthday, a more pressing question is being asked—not in Washington, but across Southeast Asia: can America actually be trusted? Kevin Chen of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies examines what the anniversary moment reveals: while the U-S speaks of pivoting toward Asia, the region remains uncertain whether American commitment extends beyond rhetoric. The deeper anxiety isn't about friendship—it's about follow-through, consistency, and whether American independence means independence from its regional responsibilities.

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