Introduction
The election of Donald Trump as the next US president has raised
fundamental questions about the role of the United States going
forward, and what implications this will have globally. This
presents renewed challenges for Asia Pacific trade; particularly in
light of uncertainty arising from increased protectionism as well
as broader trade and currency risks for the region. This also has a
unique impact for those companies reliant on global supply chains
and regional subcontractors for manufacturing. Corruption as an
impediment to business remains a theme for the region, and one that
adds to the uncertainty.
The recent ASEAN Business Outlook Survey 2017 conducted by
AmCham Singapore and the US Chamber of Commerce allows some broad
comparisons across the Asia Pacific region to be made. The tone of
the (pre-election) survey is optimistic with 87 percent of
companies saying that their level of trade and investment in the
region will increase in the next
