Why Should We Care if Southeast Asia is the World’s Fourth Largest Economy? | with retired Ambassador Brian McFeeters

Despite sweeping US tariffs, a landmark Supreme Court ruling, and ongoing trade policy uncertainty, businesses in Southeast Asia are holding firm. In this episode, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso sit down with retired Ambassador Brian McFeeters, President and CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council, to explore what shifting US trade policies mean for companies operating across the region.

Brian reveals why Southeast Asia remains a compelling destination for business investment. The region is now the world’s fourth largest economy, growing 25% faster than most other regions, with a young, digitally savvy population driving explosive growth in technology, financial services and healthcare. Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines - the “VIP” countries - are leading the charge.

The conversation digs into the real impact of tariffs and the Supreme Court decision that struck them down, why non-tariff barriers like local content requirements matter more to companies than headline tariff rates, how Indonesia’s new trade agreement with the US could reshape market access, and whether Chinese competitors are gaining an edge in cloud services and infrastructure.

Brian also discusses ASEAN’s promising digital economic framework agreement, which could codify free data flows across the region, and explains why Southeast Asia is seen as the most fertile ground in the world for deploying artificial intelligence - with welcoming government policies and none of the regulatory friction seen in Europe.

Whether you follow trade policy, supply chain strategy, or emerging market opportunities, this episode offers a ground-level view of how business actually gets done in one of the world’s fastest-growing regions.

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