Trump, who won a resounding victory on Tuesday, has threatened 60% tariffs on goods coming into the U.S. from China, much higher than the levies of 7.5% to 25% he imposed in his first term, a major risk for the world's second-largest economy.

Southeast Asian leaders are adept at dealing with President-elect Trump’s transactional style of diplomacy, but an escalating U.S.-China conflict would severely harm the region.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim congratulated Trump on a "remarkable political comeback and victory," while Hun Manet, the Cambodian premier, said he is "confident that the indispensable US role in promoting stability,

During his campaign, President-elect Trump pledged to decrease military involvement overseas and upend what he described as unfair trade practices.

Donald Trump’s comeback is now certain, after he decisively won re-election to the White House, but there is growing uncertainty over how his second-term administration will deal with the Asia-Pacific—a region of increasing strategic relevance and home to a number of international economic and security concerns for the U.

Trade, US support in the region and climate issues hang in the balance as Trump looks to advance US interests 'with additional gusto', analysts say Asia-Pacific nations are bracing themselves for a reprise of "America First" under a second Donald Trump presidency,