http://blogs.rediff.com/mkbhadrakumar/
Asian power dynamic blows up India’s ‘Act East’
Taking note of expert opinion that the recent Asia tour by President Donald Trump was a “key moment in the decline of the US power” in the Asia-Pacific region, Singapore’s Straits Times predicted last week: “In sum, such middling results from a trip that was supposed to reaffirm US commitment to the region means Asia’s leaders need to reassess Asia-Pacific’s balance of power.”
Surely, this is already becoming evident in the power dynamic in the Far East. The China-South Korea-Japan triangle has become “kinetic”. Both South Korea and Japan are working toward improving their relations with China – each for its own reasons, but the common thread is that Trump’s tour has hastened the process.
Trump failed to convince Asian leaderships that the US is still committed to the Asia-Pacific. His ‘America First’ received a cool reception at the APEC summit. Trump’s decision to skip the East Asia Summit in the Philippines was hugely symbolic of waning US interest regional security. On the other hand, his rejection of globalization and free trade stood out as lack of willingness to play leadership role.
Above all, what he secured in China – more than $250 billion in trade deals – burnished China’s standing and prestige regionally as the principal driver of growth in the world economy.
The South China Morning Post reported today that South Korea is tiptoeing toward an understanding with China over the US deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence missile system (THAAD). The compromise formula devolves upon Seoul’s “three nos” – South Korea will not consider any additional deployments of the THAAD system; South Korea will not participate in the US’ missile defence system; and the trilateral US-Japan-South Korea military cooperation will not transform as a military alliance.
Asian power dynamic blows up India’s ‘Act East’
Taking note of expert opinion that the recent Asia tour by President Donald Trump was a “key moment in the decline of the US power” in the Asia-Pacific region, Singapore’s Straits Times predicted last week: “In sum, such middling results from a trip that was supposed to reaffirm US commitment to the region means Asia’s leaders need to reassess Asia-Pacific’s balance of power.”
Surely, this is already becoming evident in the power dynamic in the Far East. The China-South Korea-Japan triangle has become “kinetic”. Both South Korea and Japan are working toward improving their relations with China – each for its own reasons, but the common thread is that Trump’s tour has hastened the process.
Trump failed to convince Asian leaderships that the US is still committed to the Asia-Pacific. His ‘America First’ received a cool reception at the APEC summit. Trump’s decision to skip the East Asia Summit in the Philippines was hugely symbolic of waning US interest regional security. On the other hand, his rejection of globalization and free trade stood out as lack of willingness to play leadership role.
Above all, what he secured in China – more than $250 billion in trade deals – burnished China’s standing and prestige regionally as the principal driver of growth in the world economy.
The South China Morning Post reported today that South Korea is tiptoeing toward an understanding with China over the US deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence missile system (THAAD). The compromise formula devolves upon Seoul’s “three nos” – South Korea will not consider any additional deployments of the THAAD system; South Korea will not participate in the US’ missile defence system; and the trilateral US-Japan-South Korea military cooperation will not transform as a military alliance.
