It’s been a while since my last post and quite a bit has happened since then.
Gaddafi is gone, Europe is scrambling for credit lines, and US was downgraded. However, what spurred the greatest interest for me within the political sphere is the recent APEC meeting, where the US with its stronger than usual stance announces its return to Asia with a bang.
From the Trans-Pacific partnership, with the obvious and deliberate exclusion of China, to the deployment of marines in Australia and America’s reengagement with a host of Asian countries, sparked a series of commentaries on the “Chinese threat” and repercussions of America’s recent actions.
Obama declared that “The US is a Pacific power and we are here to stay” says much about its intentions but also its lack of confidence lost during the last decade spent on its misadventures in the Middle East. (Imperial overstretch anyone?) And now, reengaging Asia both economically and politically will no doubt bring a whole new dimension into play especially for Asian countries whom have forgotten the US as China became their largest trading partner.
For the past decade, China was able to cultivate relationships and climb the economic rankings as US were busy finding Saddam and Osama. When it was all over, China became the second largest economy in the world, their first aircraft carrier and stealth fighter on their way and more significant in symbol than substance was EU asking China for money. America has realized this and through its formidable soft power, reengaged Asia in one quick strike, banding all East Asian countries to isolate China. Now, whether this will last or what the repercussions are, has yet to be seen. But what is certain is that China is now on the back foot again as the US army got another foothold in the Asia Pacific region, this time out of its missile range in Darwin.
On a side note, Australia is now officially a colony of the US, joining the ranks of Japan and Korea.
