Japanese academic Sahashi Ryo notes that the US-led Summit for Democracy met with a lukewarm response in Asia because it smacked of the US trying to impose its ideas on other nations. Not only that, given the Biden administration’s poor listening skills, their talk of valuing partnerships with allied countries rings hollow.
Politics
Politics
With AUKUS and the Quad, Japanese academic Sahashi Ryo argues that the US is seeking to distance itself from the region’s ASEAN-centric mechanisms, despite assurances to the contrary. While both the US and China are working hard to make their presence felt in the region, Ryo says someone is acting out of undue haste and probably needs more time to figure out how to create its desired world order under mounting competition.
Politics
Japanese academic Sahashi Ryo notes that with Biden taking office, the US needs to look at the changing needs of diplomacy and rebuild international relationships, and figure out how to negotiate its ties with China.
Politics
Former Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga has been confirmed as Japan’s incoming prime minister, following a vote in parliament today. What would his foreign policy priorities be as prime minister?
Politics
Like scales falling from their eyes, the international community is seeing how a dearth of global leadership has left countries flailing for themselves since the onset of the pandemic. Who or what will step forward and take up the leadership mantle? Not the US, and not China either.
Politics
By all accounts, the “phase one” deal concluded between the US and China is a small one. Will this token gesture be enough to change US-China relations drastically in 2020? Prof Sahashi Ryo gives his take from Japan.