Mohamed Zeeshan

Opinion | What US allies in Asia need from the next American president

Asian nations, for whom the Chinese threat is closer to home, would welcome a return to the US’ long-standing foreign policy traditions and global leadership instead of the transactional approach favoured by Trump

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Mohamed Zeeshan

Published: 5:30am, 6 Oct 2020Updated: 6:48am, 6 Oct 2020

In a provocative essay for Foreign Policy recently, James Crabtree wrote that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has a credibility problem in Asia. “Officials in Tokyo, Taipei, New Delhi, Singapore, and other capitals have grown relatively comfortable with Trump and his tough approach on China,” he said. By contrast, Crabtree pointed out, Biden is seen to represent a softer and more conciliatory approach towards China.

Crabtree is right; US President Donald Trump’s muscular approach to China and his economic measures – sanctions, trade tariffs and attempted app bans – have won him a few friends, from India to Japan. Trump’s recent effort to ban the Chinese social media app Tiktok was seen in New Delhi as vindication of India’s own previous ban of that app. Similarly, his tough stance on Beijing’s handling of Covid-19 has resonated across Asia.

Yet, while Trump has taken economic measures against China, the US’ allies in Asia need much more. In recent times, China has become increasingly aggressive towards its neighbours, and the efforts by the US and others to challenge China economically have not worked as a deterrent.

India’s sweeping ban on Chinese apps did not help defuse a border conflict in the Himalayas, and the country is now staring down the prospect of war if it wishes to recover the 1,000 square kilometres that the Indian media reports it has lost to China along the Line of Actual Control. Last month, Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jnr spoke of the possibility of Chinese attacks on his country’s naval vessels amid rising tensions in the South China Sea.

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