US-CHINA RIVALRY DRIVES ASIA-PACIFIC SECURITY

The Asia-Pacific outlook is dominated by intensifying US-China competition over maritime routes, strategic chokepoints, and contested islands. Regional security concerns center on the South China Sea, Taiwan, Korea, and the Malacca and Luzon straits, where military activity and rival influence campaigns remain high. Trade and economic integration continue to matter, but they are increasingly shaped by geopolitical fragmentation and pressure to secure supply chains, energy flows, and critical technologies. Japan, South Korea, and other regional players are balancing alliance commitments, economic interdependence, and rising uncertainty across the Indo-Pacific.