Devorah, I'm from a country that was colonised for nearly 400 years. First the Portuguese, then the Dutch, then the British Empire, and the Empire of Japan during WW2.

Naturally, America "is involved" in my country but have mostly left us alone. China's rise in Southeast Asia means they are gaining influence. We can't be sure that their influence will be entirely benign.

I'm no proponent of American neo-imperialism. My position is more one of "better the devil you know than the one you don't."

As the world stands right now, if America withdraws, China will fill the gap. "People from the area" will try, but there is too much regional mistrust and enmity to make this an easy proposition. Note: For Southeast Asia, "people from the area" also includes brutal military dictatorships like Myanmar and authoritarian one-party states like Cambodia and Laos.