US-CHINA RIVALRY SHAPES ASIA-PACIFIC

The dominant Asia-Pacific story is intensifying U.S.-China rivalry, which is driving regional security priorities and reshaping economic governance. Competition is centered on maritime routes, strategic chokepoints, and disputed areas including the South China Sea, Taiwan, and the Korean Peninsula. Trade and economic security are increasingly tied to this contest, with supply-chain resilience and export policy becoming major regional concerns. At the same time, the region remains relatively stable because of deep economic interdependence among China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, even as militarisation rises.