CHINA-U.S. TRADE PUSH SHAPES ASIA

The biggest Asia-Pacific story is the renewed push for China-U.S. commercial engagement, with Trump’s Beijing trip opening market-access talks for major U.S. firms while also highlighting how economic security is reshaping trade policy in the region. That shift is colliding with wider geopolitical and security tensions, including fragile maritime stability around the Strait of Hormuz and persistent concerns over supply chains and energy flows. In East and Southeast Asia, governments are also moving to deepen security and energy ties, as seen in Japan’s role in supporting the Philippines and in broader regional efforts to strengthen resilience. The region’s main storyline is that trade, security, and strategic autonomy are becoming tightly linked rather than separate policy tracks.