The role of domestic institutions amid foreign pressures: ASEAN countries' reactions to the US ban on Huawei

초록

In asymmetric state relations, small-state choices are often viewed as driven primarily by external factors such as power disparities or strategic alignment with great powers. However, the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry underscores the importance of domestic factors in shaping such choices. This study examines how ASEAN countries responded to the U.S.-led 'Huawei Ban' initiated in May 2019, which aimed to exclude Huawei from global 5G infrastructure. Despite similar external constraints, ASEAN member states responded divergently, revealing an empirical puzzle: why do small and medium-sized states facing comparable pressures make different policy choices regarding Huawei and 5G? To address this question, the study moves beyond national-level declarations by analyzing firm-level decisions made by major telecom operators during the 4G and 5G phases. It further investigates how domestic institutional configurations, particularly regime continuity and the autonomy of regulatory authorities, condition national responses, with case studies of Thailand and Malaysia. These findings highlight how weaker states navigate great-power competition by emphasizing the role of domestic institutional agency. While traditional international relations theories stress external constraints, this study shows that internal institutional factors shape strategic behavior, advancing debates on small state agency and hedging.

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