Southeast Asian governments are reviving nuclear power ambitions amid fuel-supply shocks, and the choice of which foreign supplier builds their first reactors could lock in geopolitical relationships for generations. China wants a share of that market, but territorial disputes and established rivals stand between Beijing and its first commercial contract in the region, ThinkChina reported.
The region currently operates zero commercial nuclear plants, yet Vietnam has revived its Ninh Thuan projects while Indonesia and the Philippines advance their own plans, and ASEAN has included civilian nuclear energy in its 2026–2030 energy cooperation programme. Fuel-supply disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz have rekindled Southeast Asia’s interest in nuclear energy: prior to the recent conflict, the region sourced around 60% of its crude oil imports and a third of its gas imports from the Middle East, and it is expected to account for nearly 20% of global energy demand growth through 2035.
Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines revive nuclear plans
Vietnam’s renewed Ninh Thuan programme builds on longstanding relationships with Russia, and in March 2026 Hanoi signed an agreement with Moscow reviving a nuclear project negotiated over a decade ago. Indonesia and the Philippines are also advancing nuclear plans, though high financing costs, limited regulatory capacity and public opposition have repeatedly stalled earlier ambitions.
China builds ties but lacks a regional reactor contract
China accounts for roughly half of the world’s nuclear reactors currently under construction, yet its overseas reactor exports have succeeded only in Pakistan. In Southeast Asia, Beijing has cultivated nuclear relationships for years — Thailand’s RATCH acquired a 10% stake in China’s Fangchenggang nuclear project in 2015, and Chinese institutions signed a cooperation agreement with Singapore in August 2026, according to Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry. Still, none of these ties has produced a commercial reactor construction contract in the region.
Beijing can offer its Hualong One reactor design alongside engineering, training and potentially state-backed financing, and smaller designs such as the Linglong One could widen its prospects. But China has less experience than Russia in delivering reactors across different overseas markets, and the low costs achieved in its domestic build-out may prove difficult to replicate in countries developing their first plants.
Russia and South Korea move first on projects
Russia has made the most progress toward actual projects. Beyond the March 2026 Vietnam agreement, Rosatom’s proposal for Indonesia would see Russian floating reactors sell electricity to local buyers under a long-term contract, easing upfront financing while giving Moscow a continuing role in local generation. South Korea is competing independently: Vietnam is discussing its second Ninh Thuan plant with South Korea, the Philippines has signed exploratory agreements involving Korean state financing, and South Korea’s May 2026 nuclear export strategy signals its intention to win overseas contracts on its own.
The United States has signed civil nuclear cooperation agreements with five Southeast Asian countries, establishing legal frameworks for technology transfers, and Washington is working with Japan and South Korea to jointly develop small modular reactor projects. France and Canada have also pursued cooperation agreements with ASEAN economies.
South China Sea disputes complicate Beijing’s pitch
Political considerations present a distinct challenge for China. Serious territorial and maritime disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea continue to involve Vietnam and the Philippines, and nuclear cooperation entails sensitive infrastructure plus long-term technical assistance that demands considerable trust. ISEAS’s 2026 survey of regional elites found that 55.4% of respondents who saw China as the region’s most influential economic power were concerned about its growing influence, with particularly strong reservations in Vietnam and the Philippines.
Fuel supply chains add another layer of dependence: Russia accounts for around 40% of global uranium-enrichment capacity, and US nuclear utilities purchased 20% of their enrichment services from Russia in 2024.
Why Southeast Asia’s reactor choices carry long-term weight
A nation’s first reactor hands its supplier an edge in winning later projects, because local engineers and regulators grow familiar with its technology and existing training and supply chains reduce the cost of repeat orders. For Southeast Asian governments, competing offers provide room to negotiate — Vietnam’s split between Russia and South Korea illustrates that leverage — but operating different reactor designs can also add costs, and Japan’s 2025 withdrawal over an ambitious construction timetable shows the limits of such bargaining.
Nuclear cooperation also requires governments to uphold international non-proliferation safeguards and Southeast Asia’s nuclear-weapon-free commitments. As the region seeks greater energy security, it must decide how far it is willing to entrust its electricity systems to foreign partners whose relationships may outlast current political administrations.
Questions readers ask about ASEAN’s nuclear turn
Has any Southeast Asian country started building a commercial nuclear plant yet? No. The region has zero operating commercial plants, and while Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines are advancing plans or agreements, construction has yet to begin on the revived projects.
Which countries are competing to supply Southeast Asia’s first reactors? Russia, South Korea, the United States, China, France and Canada have all pursued cooperation agreements or projects, with Russia and South Korea currently holding the most concrete deals in Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Why did nuclear power become urgent again for the region? Disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz renewed interest in nuclear energy: the region’s reliance on Middle East fuel — around 60% of crude oil imports and a third of gas imports — while electricity demand is projected to grow rapidly through 2035.
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