This is 21st century, message can get through very fast unlike 17th century where one aboriginal tribes do not know what the other is doing.  There is no more chance of aboriginal people killing each other to clear way for the white settlement using soft power.  People in South East Asia were colonized by European and American for the last two hundred years and they were exploited so much that even today some still have to work as shrimp peeler at slave wages for consumers in NY,London and Paris. Their economy also were not better after bloody fight for independent due to sanction, price fixing by former colonial masters.  Even today many of their produces are barred or given unfair ruling that benefit western nation.  South East Asian nations begin to rise due to fair trade they have with China, and later India. These two Asian giants buy their products according to need and at fair market pricing, stockpiling tricks that hamper their economy suddently collapsed benefitting everyone there. Their prosperity is tied together with other Asian countries, together they have the manpower, technology, resources and market to go further.  With these background, is there anyone really think they will give up their chance by listenning to the tune of a sweet talking past aggressors, exploiters, and a declining economy?