President Cyril Ramaphosa’s began a Southeast Asian tour yesterday which will continue until 28 October.

He will visit Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia for a mix of state and working visits focused on trade, investment, and technological co-operation. It forms part of Pretoria’s broader market diversification strategy to secure growth opportunities beyond South Africa’s Western partners and comes as tensions between South Africa and the United States (US) remain high.

The first stop is Jakarta, where Ramaphosa will meet Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to discuss co-operation in mining, defence, agriculture, and tourism. The talks are expected to highlight Indonesia’s emergence as a major emerging economy and a potential partner for Pretoria, which can absorb more South African exports in manufactured goods and raw materials.

In Hanoi, Ramaphosa will hold talks aimed at strengthening ties with Vietnam. The Presidency said Vietnam’s integration into Asian supply chains offer new opportunities for South African firms.

The final leg takes the President to Kuala Lumpur, where he will attend the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit. That visit has particular significance given that Malaysia and South Africa are joint founding members of the Hague Group – a coalition of states pressing genocide charges against Israel over its actions in Gaza.

Analysts say the visit forms part of South Africa’s efforts at repositioning in global affairs and particularly its efforts to lessen dependency on the US.

Given the strategic importance of the Simonstown naval base at the tip of Africa, and its control of key Indian-Atlantic sea lanes, Pretoria could play a significant role in the shifting power balances of the Indo-Pacific, where both Washington and Beijing are vying for influence.