Amid brewing tensions between the worlds two superpowers Southeast Asia continues to leverage on Chinas economic engine while enjoying a security blanket provided by the US As both sides continue to compete for influence over the region ASEAN states find themselves entangled in the throes of their conflict From increasing militarisation in the South China Sea and the deteriorating of decadesold alliances to a massive manufacturing diaspora in the region we examine the quandary the SinoUS rivalry has created for Southeast Asia