Should the Trump presidency prove to be more isolationist, what will be future of Asia-Pacific diplomacy look like? This presentation by NUPI senior research fellow Marc Lanteigne offers some initial potential scenarios.
The unexpected election victory of Donald Trump has called into question the future of many aspects of American foreign policy. The Asia-Pacific is not an exception, and there are many longstanding US strategies in that region which may undergo significant or even radical changes. These areas include the venerable treaty networks between Washington and key allies, including Japan, South Korea and the Philippines, efforts to widen and deepen trade in the Pacific Rim through initiatives such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and bilateral FTAs such as with Seoul, and hard security concerns such as North Korea and the East and South China Seas. At the top of the list is China, which had been the subject of harsh criticism during the Trump campaign over its economic policies, and has so far reacted with much wariness over the incoming administration. Finally, there is the question of the future of the pivot (or ‘rebalancing’) policy towards the Asia-Pacific implemented by President Obama. Should the Trump presidency prove to be more isolationist, what will be future of Asia-Pacific diplomacy look like? This presentation offers some initial potential scenarios as well as explaining where East Asia contributes to the incoming administration’s inbox.
