US-CHINA RIVALRY DRIVES ASIA-PACIFIC TENSIONS

The dominant Asia-Pacific story is the sharpening US-China rivalry, which continues to set the region’s geopolitical and security agenda. Recent reporting points to heightened military signaling, maritime friction, and closer alignment among regional partners as states hedge against instability. At the same time, trade and investment ties across East Asia remain a stabilizing force, even as supply-chain risks and energy costs pressure growth. The region is increasingly shaped by competition in security, technology, and economic governance rather than by any single flashpoint.