It’s common knowledge that the possibility of a second term for former U.S. President Donald Trump is sending shivers up the spines of Washington’s NATO allies. But the prospect of a second Trump presidency is also heightening anxieties among U.S. allies in Asia, which have also relied on U.S. security assurances for decades.
A recent spate of commentary has drawn the analogy between today’s regional conflicts and those of the 1930s that led to World War II, often as a cautionary tale for how to deal with contemporary international security dynamics. These analogies, however, misread the past, with potentially dangerous implications for the present.
The feud between the Marcos and Duterte families in the Philippines is also a reflection of the new Cold War brewing in the region. With Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos openly welcoming expanded security cooperation with Manila’s Western allies, the Dutertes have positioned themselves as China’s best hope in the Philippines.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump upended what was once a relatively staid global economic and trade system. For all of the upheaval he created, though, Trump left office with only one clear-cut accomplishment: an updated NAFTA deal. And even as Trump sowed chaos in America’s trade relationships, most of the world reinforced its commitment to trade liberalization.
As an aspirational great power, India had a big year for its foreign policy in 2023, marked by highlights that brought India’s potential as a political, economic and strategic player to the limelight. However, despite its proactive diplomatic engagements, India’s foreign policy continues to face enduring challenges.
Two recent controversies drew attention to the malaise and frustration regarding the state of soccer in China. But the travails of Chinese soccer are also helpful as a prism for understanding how Xi’s leadership style helps spawn corruption-fueled boom-bust cycles in the economy and the crackdowns that inevitably follow.
In August 2023, Japan, South Korea and the U.S. signed a set of documents intended to deepen and institutionalize trilateral cooperation. But whether these agreements can endure will depend on domestic politics in Japan and especially South Korea, and not least of all whether their disputes over historical issues can be overcome.
Over the past two decades, China became an increasingly powerful player in Latin America, displacing the U.S. as a top trading partner and strengthening its political influence in the region. But now, China’s growth has suddenly slowed, creating significant economic risks for Latin America—and opportunities for the United States.
When Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim took office, even his own supporters doubted that he could tackle much-needed reforms. But they expected to see at least some of the changes he had promised during his years in opposition. Slightly more than a year into Anwar’s term, however, he has scant progress to show on any front.
A Hong Kong court ruled last week that the largest indebted property developer in the world, Evergrande, would be liquidated. The ruling opened up a slew of larger questions about the future of the Chinese economy, especially the relationships between the central government, local governments, the private sector and households.