U.S.-CHINA RIVALRY SHAPES INDO-PACIFIC ORDER

The most important Asia & Oceania story is the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry that is driving geopolitics, trade policy, and regional security across the Asia-Pacific. Maritime chokepoints, Taiwan, the South China Sea, and Southeast Asia remain central flashpoints because they affect military access and the flow of trade and energy. Economic interdependence among China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan still helps restrain conflict, but it also creates vulnerability as governments pursue supply-chain resilience and technology competition. Regional states are responding with more defense networking and diversification rather than choosing a single bloc.