The U.S. effort to unite partners and allies across Asia in a strong anti-China alliance is proving divisive.
Anglosphere allies Australia and Britain appear firmly in sync with U.S. policy in the Indo-Pacific, but several other regional democracies courted by Washington are far more conflicted — and less willing to stand firmly against China.
- China’s military might and economic clout require caution and balance.
- “It is hard for us to choose, and we do not want to choose,” said Pio Tikoduadua, Fijian minister for home affairs and immigration.
- One fear is that Washington will lack the bandwidth to sustain its presence in the Indo-Pacific, given the hot wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.
- There is also concern unintended clashes amid a military build up could lead to full-scale conflict.
While many in Washington are discussing decoupling from China and creating new alliances to restrain its growth, “substantive cooperation will be a win-win and will motivate the right behaviors,” said Heng Chee How, the Singaporean senior minister of state for defense.
To read a comprehensive version of this article by Andrew Salmon click HERE
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