Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi went to Africa, as is customary. But he also visited two Asian countries, a choice that signals China’s desire to break the U.S. attempt at containment.

Applying an archipelagic approach in the South China Sea will help achieve balance between coastal states and the many user states in the region. But who will write the rules?

In their quest for absolute security, the two countries are sowing the seeds of disappointment. Because growth is necessary for economic security, any country that uses security as an excuse for trade protectionism will not achieve its desired competitiveness. This only harms innovation.

“The U.S. once held the Philippines as a colonial possession, but now finds itself having to win back the Southeast Asian nation’s good graces to counter a rising China.”

A just cause enjoys abundant support while an unjust one does not. At a time when most countries in the Asia-Pacific region are striving to maintain peace and stability, the U.S. has deliberately waded in to create antagonism and the potential for cutthroat competition.

Both the EU and ASEAN have largely criticized the newly announced AUKUS deal, leaving many European nations and China’s neighboring states scrambling to respond to the addition of nuclear submarines to Australia’s arsenal.

Japan’s new prime minister is setting the diplomatic tone for his time in office. If he can steer clear of “Cold War” rhetoric and challenges from his own party, he may be able to subtly redefine Japan-China relations.

China’s somewhat surprising petition to join the CPTPP presents serious challenges to the U.S.’s position in the region, and perhaps just as importantly, creates economic opportunity for China.

In a field where competition for science and technology, rule-making and dominance are natural, China and the United States have both conflicting a complementary interest. There is a lot of room for cooperation.

Growing tensions between China and the U.S. are nothing new, but the consequences of geopolitical exclusivity continue to compound. No country wants to be forced to choose between the first and second largest economy in the world.