Over the past few months, top U.S. officials have been traveling extensively to Southeast Asian nations in a clear 180-degree reversal in foreign policy. Compared to his predecessor, U.S. President Joe Biden seems to be placing greater importance on America's relations with Southeast Asia and on ASEAN.

Why the sudden change of heart? What do these visits tell us about Washington's Indo-Pacific strategy? And more importantly: what’s the outcome of this rekindled diplomacy?

To answer these questions, we've invited Dr. Zhao Hai, Research Fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Benoit Hardy-Chartrand, Adjunct Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at Temple University in Japan; Robert Kelly, Professor at the Department of Political Science of Pusan National University; and Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Director of the Institute of Security and International Studies and Faculty of Political Science at Chulalongkorn University.