The latest statements by US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth reflect a stark reality: the strategic rivalry between the United States and China has entered a dangerous new phase. While the US maintains that it does not seek war or dominance, its posture in the Indo-Pacific suggests a deliberate attempt to reassert influence in the region, using the spectre of a Chinese threat to rally allies into greater military alignment.

The alarm over Taiwan, framed as an imminent flashpoint, is now the centrepiece of this effort. The message is clear: Asia must choose sides. But must it? Asia’s greatest vulnerability is not the presence of competing global powers ~ it is the erosion of strategic autonomy. For years, nations in the region have pursued a delicate balance: engaging economically with China while maintaining security partnerships with the US. This pragmatic duality has served much of the region well. But as rhetoric escalates, and defence budgets........

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