US-CHINA RIVALRY SHAPES ASIA-PACIFIC

The defining Asia-Pacific story is intensifying US-China rivalry, which is reshaping regional security, maritime strategy, and economic governance. Strategic flashpoints remain centered on Taiwan, the South China Sea, the Korean Peninsula, and key sea lanes such as Malacca and Luzon. At the same time, trade and economic security are becoming more tightly linked, with Asian states balancing resilience, supply-chain concerns, and pressure from Washington and Beijing. Regional cooperation is expanding in response, but the core dynamic remains competition between the United States and China over influence, trade routes, and military posture.