Southeast Asia is a region of imperfect institutions where many governments are struggling to rid themselves of reputations for endemic corruption and bad governance. The emergence of China as the region's most important trading partner could complicate the region's efforts to clean up its act.
The impact of Western investment has long been overwhelmingly significant. But that is starting to change. Over the past decade, China has become Southeast Asia's biggest trading partner and is an increasingly important target for investment, development aid and political support.
