US-CHINA RIVALRY DRIVES ASIA-PACIFIC GEOPOLITICS AND SECURITY IN 2026

The rivalry between the United States and China remains the primary driver of political and strategic dynamics across the Asia-Pacific region throughout 2026. Both powers are intensifying competition over maritime routes, energy resources, and the militarization of strategic islands including the Senkaku, Spratly, and Paracel Islands. China is strengthening its military capabilities near Korea and in the South China Sea while conducting major exercises like Justice Mission 2025 and Peace and Friendship-2025. This great-power competition creates a dense and potentially unstable environment where systemic escalation is constrained only by the high costs involved.