By Nomeen Kassi
The USA is shifting its focus from the Middle East to the Asian region. This is mainly to neutralize the threat of rising China. With treaties and partnerships like QUAD and AUKUS, the USA is determined to curtail or minimize China’s influence over the region.
The rising China has been perceived as a major threat and a challenge for a long time. This is evident in the U.S. intelligence community’s 2022 Annual Threat Assessment Report which revolves around China’s pursuit of global influence and regional preeminence. The report also predicts China doubling its nuclear stockpile in the coming 10 years. The recent Quad summit held on 21 September 2024, is again ringing bells. However, China has always answered proportionately as its economy threatens US hegemony., portraying a soft image compared to the USA’s hard power.
The intertwined economic, diplomatic, and security interests in the Asian region catch the interest of the USA. It is mainly because of China’s influence and presence in the region. Thereby, The U.S. has a variety of interests at stake in the region. The USA believes that China’s actions can send ripples throughout the region, resulting in challenging the US hegemony. However, it’s not a mere assumption. China is economically powerful enough to control and dominate the region and the globe. China became an economic giant in a very short time.
There is a gradual shift in U.S. foreign policy in Asia due to the increased geopolitical volatility, revolving around economic and security concerns. The renewed policy lines, mainly during President Obama’s tenure, underline US regional interest. The Obama administration also gave the policy of ‘pivot to the Asia-Pacific’. It strengthens diplomatic and economic alliances in the region. regardless, it is still criticized for being unable to deter China. Consequently, China initiated the ‘Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)’ as a response. Through BRI, China increases its diplomatic, economic, military, and technological presence over a large area. It is an ambiguous plan of China to develop two new trade routes that connect China with the rest of the world, aiding in creating an expanded, interdependent market for China. It will create the right conditions for China to increase its economic strength and establish a technology economy.
The USA sees BRI as “an aggressive attempt by China to expand its economic power globally”. In contrast, the USA started focusing on foreign partnerships in the region that mainly revolved around security. The purpose of these partnerships is to curtail China’s growth and ensure US presence in the region. QUAD is one of the major examples. Initially, it originated after the December 2004 Indo-Pacific tsunami. But the partnership has got more to it. it strengthens relations with Japan, India, Australia, and USA. Scholars believe that the Japan and U.S. alliance is “one of the region’s most important military relationships”, with 8 military facilities and more than 60,000 troops stationed there. The two remain the strongest allies and trading partners and also conducting maritime activities in the disputed territories.
It is evident that the USA is increasing its naval and military presence through activities in the region to surround China. Australia is also a defense ally that supports these activities. These activities include freedom of navigation operations. Similarly, in September 2021, the USA announced a new security partnership with Australia and the UK called AUKUS. It provides Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. It increases Australia’s military capabilities. Patricia O’Brien, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, believes that the US is forming a global web of security arrangements that aims to combat China’s rapid and massive Global expansion. The US also formed a “Five Eyes Alliance” with the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It is an intelligence-sharing network that focuses on the exchange of information regarding China’s foreign activities.
The recent QUAD Summit 2024 held on 21 September sparked the debate again. At the summit, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in a joint statement. They also presented a quad vision statement for the first time. Although the Australian Department of Foreign Relations and Trade has said the nature of this partnership is diplomatic and not security, it doesn’t seem so. China sees the alliance as a ‘cold-war mentality’
Kurt Tong at the Center for Strategic and International Studies suggests that the USA should focus more on collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Economic ties can be a more useful and successful approach to counter China. It would help the US become a ‘go-to partner’ for the region, a model followed by China. The increased coordination between the US and the regional countries will have more impact on China and might force it to change its trade policies.
China possesses a soft power image while the USA portrays a hard power mechanism. China’s soft image makes it a more approachable partner for third-world countries like Pakistan. The relationship between Pakistan and the U.S. can be defined as ‘friends in need’ or strategic partners. While Pakistan’s relations with China mostly remain friendly. President Pervez Musharraf referred to China as a ‘time-tested and all-weather’ friend of Pakistan. One can argue that the USA needs to change its harsh and military approach to counter China. U.S. hard power forces state to act in a way different from one’s usual behavior, and thereby it’s done involuntarily. However, the soft power used by China soft switches one’s attitude in a way that their acts change voluntarily from their usual behavior, thus making China a preferred friend.
Author: Nomeen Kassi – Research Assistant at Balochistan Think Tank Network, Quetta.
(The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of World Geostrategic Insights).