THE decision of President-elect Donald Trump to appoint prominent China hawks Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz as Secretary of State and National Security Adviser, respectively, clearly indicates his muscular foreign policy approach toward America’s geopolitical foes, including China, Iran and Cuba. Additionally, the appointment of Mike Huckabee reflects his blind love for Israel, suggesting a potentially more divided Middle East. Consequently, the Asia-Pacific, South China Sea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Iran and Cuba would be in the line of fire under Trump’s presidency.

In their latest meeting, the leaders of the Quad—Australia, India, Japan, and the United States—have effectively committed to prolonging Cold War-era dynamics and bloc mentalities. Their stance appears to emphasize political posturing and anti-China security arrangements aimed at containing China in the Asia-Pacific and South China Sea, with hopes of advancing their interests in Taiwan and Hong Kong. The joint readout after their recently concluded talks, termed deepening of maritime cooperation in the Asia Pacific, including the launch of joint coastguard operations next year as indispensable to improve interoperability and advance maritime safety.

The US President Biden welcomed his counterparts to Wilmington, Delaware, for the group’s annual summit, the US president’s last before the end of his term. The Biden’s labelling the Quad a permanent entity has some serious socio-economic, geopolitical and geostrategic spillover repercussions for the regional countries and........

© Pakistan Observer