With the US military commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan starting to wind down, the United States is increasingly pivoting towards the Asia-Pacific region and is prioritising Southeast Asia in its global strategy. The US needs to continue to build and maintain relationships in Southeast Asia while ensuring it can simultaneously engage effectively with China.  How well the US can ‘get the balance right’ will largely shape the region’s ability to avoid conflict escalation, as well as determining the degree to which its key regional allies such as Australia will enjoy the long-term stability that has been characteristic of Southeast Asia in the post-Cold War era.