PNN – In an article, Foreign Policy magazine said that the Trump administration’s “incoherent” policy in Asia has led to the rise of China and the decline of the United States in the region.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network, this Foreign Policy article states that US President Donald Trump’s inconsistent policies are accelerating China’s rise in the Asia-Pacific region and undermining decades of US influence.
According to Robert Manning, a senior fellow at the Stimson Institute, while security developments have historically strengthened America’s role as a security guarantor, China’s economic dominance is integrating regional economies and marginalizing the United States. Thus, Washington is absent from key trade agreements such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
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The article added: Trump’s soaring tariffs, de-reliance on China, and demands from allies to spend more on defense are disrupting Asian economies and undermining American credibility. Trump’s “America First” agenda and dismantling of soft power tools like USAID and the Voice of America signal his departure from the post-World War II order.
Manning wrote: Despite America’s security commitments, Trump’s decision to link trade and defense, including pressure on Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan to increase defense spending, raises doubts about America’s partnership. Tariffs targeting Asian manufacturing hubs like Vietnam and Thailand threaten economic stability and potentially push Asian countries toward China. As a result, some U.S. allies like South Korea and Japan are considering trilateral trade with China, and Europe is considering closer ties with Asian trade organizations.
Highlighting the danger of de-dollarization to the US economy, the article wrote that while the US financial stability is being questioned by Asian countries and China is taking advantage of US missteps, US-China relations remain critical and rival factions in Washington do not have a unified policy towards the country.
The article concluded that America’s unreliability, coupled with China’s geographical and economic persistence, threatens Washington’s role as the region’s security leader.