US-CHINA RIVALRY DOMINATES ASIA-PACIFIC

US–China rivalry is the central Asia-Pacific story, shaping regional security, trade policy, and alliance behavior. Competition is most intense around Taiwan, the South China Sea, Korea, and key maritime routes such as Malacca and Luzon. Economic interdependence among China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan still helps restrain escalation, but it also leaves supply chains vulnerable to any crisis. Regional diplomacy increasingly links security concerns with digital trade, supply chains, and technology controls.