• =?UTF-8?Q?Biden_heads_to_Southeast_Asia_next_week=2C_but_his_iti?= =?UT

    From ltlee1@21:1/5 to All on Mon Sep 4 04:32:56 2023
    "The administration may claim otherwise, but in prioritizing the Vietnam visit, it is doubling down on its efforts to build a nation-by-nation Cold War-style security bloc to counter China and avoiding working with regional groups — such as ASEAN —
    likely to decide the Indo-Pacific region’s future. In an increasingly multipolar world, Washington needs to become more effective at navigating fluid and flexible coalitions, not rerun an old playbook.
    ...
    According to our interviews, Washington has publicly and privately pressured ASEAN members to turn down China’s global infrastructure projects, known as the Belt and Road Initiative, reduce their economic and technological dependence on Beijing and
    cancel their military partnerships with the People’s Liberation Army. What the administration heralds as “putting really big, important strategic points on the board” — for example, gaining additional access to the Philippines’ military bases
    and holding the largest-ever military exercise with Indonesia — many in the region view as thinly disguised attempts to form a new U.S. security bloc. Upgrading the relationship with Vietnam is just the latest example.

    Worse, U.S. efforts to build its network of security partnerships are harming, not improving, ASEAN security concerns. For example, a trilateral initiative (known as AUKUS), in which the U.S. and the United Kingdom plan to equip Australia with nuclear-
    powered submarines, alarms some ASEAN states because it puts them geographically in the center of a dangerous U.S.-China tug of war.

    Washington’s limited approach to ASEAN as a collective has done little to allay those fears.
    ...
    In the end, Washington’s drive for exclusive partnerships could leave it isolated. No amount of U.S. effort will consolidate ASEAN members as an anti-China bloc because these countries depend on China economically and politically. That long-standing
    position is unlikely to change, a former Singaporean defense official told us."

    (Kelly A. Grieco is a senior fellow with the Reimagining US Grand Strategy Program at the Stimson Center, an adjunct associate professor of security studies at Georgetown University and a nonresident fellow at the Brute Krulak Center of Marine Corps
    University. Jennifer Kavanagh is a senior fellow with the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and an adjunct professor of security studies at Georgetown University. )
    https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-09-01/joe-biden-asean-vietnam-trans-pacific-partnership

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From ltlee1@21:1/5 to All on Thu Sep 7 12:24:53 2023
    T24gTW9uZGF5LCBTZXB0ZW1iZXIgNCwgMjAyMyBhdCA3OjMyOjU44oCvQU0gVVRDLTQsIGx0bGVl MSB3cm90ZToNCj4gIlRoZSBhZG1pbmlzdHJhdGlvbiBtYXkgY2xhaW0gb3RoZXJ3aXNlLCBidXQg aW4gcHJpb3JpdGl6aW5nIHRoZSBWaWV0bmFtIHZpc2l0LCBpdCBpcyBkb3VibGluZyBkb3duIG9u IGl0cyBlZmZvcnRzIHRvIGJ1aWxkIGEgbmF0aW9uLWJ5LW5hdGlvbiBDb2xkIFdhci1zdHlsZSBz ZWN1cml0eSBibG9jIHRvIGNvdW50ZXIgQ2hpbmEgYW5kIGF2b2lkaW5nIHdvcmtpbmcgd2l0aCBy ZWdpb25hbCBncm91cHMg4oCUIHN1Y2ggYXMgQVNFQU4g4oCUIGxpa2VseSB0byBkZWNpZGUgdGhl IEluZG8tUGFjaWZpYyByZWdpb27igJlzIGZ1dHVyZS4gSW4gYW4gaW5jcmVhc2luZ2x5IG11bHRp cG9sYXIgd29ybGQsIFdhc2hpbmd0b24gbmVlZHMgdG8gYmVjb21lIG1vcmUgZWZmZWN0aXZlIGF0 IG5hdmlnYXRpbmcgZmx1aWQgYW5kIGZsZXhpYmxlIGNvYWxpdGlvbnMsIG5vdCByZXJ1biBhbiBv bGQgcGxheWJvb2suIA0KPiAuLi4gDQo+IEFjY29yZGluZyB0byBvdXIgaW50ZXJ2aWV3cywgV2Fz aGluZ3RvbiBoYXMgcHVibGljbHkgYW5kIHByaXZhdGVseSBwcmVzc3VyZWQgQVNFQU4gbWVtYmVy cyB0byB0dXJuIGRvd24gQ2hpbmHigJlzIGdsb2JhbCBpbmZyYXN0cnVjdHVyZSBwcm9qZWN0cywg a25vd24gYXMgdGhlIEJlbHQgYW5kIFJvYWQgSW5pdGlhdGl2ZSwgcmVkdWNlIHRoZWlyIGVjb25v bWljIGFuZCB0ZWNobm9sb2dpY2FsIGRlcGVuZGVuY2Ugb24gQmVpamluZyBhbmQgY2FuY2VsIHRo ZWlyIG1pbGl0YXJ5IHBhcnRuZXJzaGlwcyB3aXRoIHRoZSBQZW9wbGXigJlzIExpYmVyYXRpb24g QXJteS4gV2hhdCB0aGUgYWRtaW5pc3RyYXRpb24gaGVyYWxkcyBhcyDigJxwdXR0aW5nIHJlYWxs eSBiaWcsIGltcG9ydGFudCBzdHJhdGVnaWMgcG9pbnRzIG9uIHRoZSBib2FyZOKAnSDigJQgZm9y IGV4YW1wbGUsIGdhaW5pbmcgYWRkaXRpb25hbCBhY2Nlc3MgdG8gdGhlIFBoaWxpcHBpbmVz4oCZ IG1pbGl0YXJ5IGJhc2VzIGFuZCBob2xkaW5nIHRoZSBsYXJnZXN0LWV2ZXIgbWlsaXRhcnkgZXhl cmNpc2Ugd2l0aCBJbmRvbmVzaWEg4oCUIG1hbnkgaW4gdGhlIHJlZ2lvbiB2aWV3IGFzIHRoaW5s eSBkaXNndWlzZWQgYXR0ZW1wdHMgdG8gZm9ybSBhIG5ldyBVLlMuIHNlY3VyaXR5IGJsb2MuIFVw Z3JhZGluZyB0aGUgcmVsYXRpb25zaGlwIHdpdGggVmlldG5hbSBpcyBqdXN0IHRoZSBsYXRlc3Qg ZXhhbXBsZS4gDQo+IA0KPiBXb3JzZSwgVS5TLiBlZmZvcnRzIHRvIGJ1aWxkIGl0cyBuZXR3b3Jr IG9mIHNlY3VyaXR5IHBhcnRuZXJzaGlwcyBhcmUgaGFybWluZywgbm90IGltcHJvdmluZywgQVNF QU4gc2VjdXJpdHkgY29uY2VybnMuIEZvciBleGFtcGxlLCBhIHRyaWxhdGVyYWwgaW5pdGlhdGl2 ZSAoa25vd24gYXMgQVVLVVMpLCBpbiB3aGljaCB0aGUgVS5TLiBhbmQgdGhlIFVuaXRlZCBLaW5n ZG9tIHBsYW4gdG8gZXF1aXAgQXVzdHJhbGlhIHdpdGggbnVjbGVhci1wb3dlcmVkIHN1Ym1hcmlu ZXMsIGFsYXJtcyBzb21lIEFTRUFOIHN0YXRlcyBiZWNhdXNlIGl0IHB1dHMgdGhlbSBnZW9ncmFw aGljYWxseSBpbiB0aGUgY2VudGVyIG9mIGEgZGFuZ2Vyb3VzIFUuUy4tQ2hpbmEgdHVnIG9mIHdh ci4gDQo+IA0KPiBXYXNoaW5ndG9u4oCZcyBsaW1pdGVkIGFwcHJvYWNoIHRvIEFTRUFOIGFzIGEg Y29sbGVjdGl2ZSBoYXMgZG9uZSBsaXR0bGUgdG8gYWxsYXkgdGhvc2UgZmVhcnMuIA0KPiAuLi4g DQo+IEluIHRoZSBlbmQsIFdhc2hpbmd0b27igJlzIGRyaXZlIGZvciBleGNsdXNpdmUgcGFydG5l cnNoaXBzIGNvdWxkIGxlYXZlIGl0IGlzb2xhdGVkLiBObyBhbW91bnQgb2YgVS5TLiBlZmZvcnQg d2lsbCBjb25zb2xpZGF0ZSBBU0VBTiBtZW1iZXJzIGFzIGFuIGFudGktQ2hpbmEgYmxvYyBiZWNh dXNlIHRoZXNlIGNvdW50cmllcyBkZXBlbmQgb24gQ2hpbmEgZWNvbm9taWNhbGx5IGFuZCBwb2xp dGljYWxseS4gVGhhdCBsb25nLXN0YW5kaW5nIHBvc2l0aW9uIGlzIHVubGlrZWx5IHRvIGNoYW5n ZSwgYSBmb3JtZXIgU2luZ2Fwb3JlYW4gZGVmZW5zZSBvZmZpY2lhbCB0b2xkIHVzLiIgDQo+IA0K PiAoS2VsbHkgQS4gR3JpZWNvIGlzIGEgc2VuaW9yIGZlbGxvdyB3aXRoIHRoZSBSZWltYWdpbmlu ZyBVUyBHcmFuZCBTdHJhdGVneSBQcm9ncmFtIGF0IHRoZSBTdGltc29uIENlbnRlciwgYW4gYWRq dW5jdCBhc3NvY2lhdGUgcHJvZmVzc29yIG9mIHNlY3VyaXR5IHN0dWRpZXMgYXQgR2VvcmdldG93 biBVbml2ZXJzaXR5IGFuZCBhIG5vbnJlc2lkZW50IGZlbGxvdyBhdCB0aGUgQnJ1dGUgS3J1bGFr IENlbnRlciBvZiBNYXJpbmUgQ29ycHMgVW5pdmVyc2l0eS4gSmVubmlmZXIgS2F2YW5hZ2ggaXMg YSBzZW5pb3IgZmVsbG93IHdpdGggdGhlIEFtZXJpY2FuIFN0YXRlY3JhZnQgUHJvZ3JhbSBhdCB0 aGUgQ2FybmVnaWUgRW5kb3dtZW50IGZvciBJbnRlcm5hdGlvbmFsIFBlYWNlIGFuZCBhbiBhZGp1 bmN0IHByb2Zlc3NvciBvZiBzZWN1cml0eSBzdHVkaWVzIGF0IEdlb3JnZXRvd24gVW5pdmVyc2l0 eS4gKSANCj4gaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubGF0aW1lcy5jb20vb3Bpbmlvbi9zdG9yeS8yMDIzLTA5LTAx L2pvZS1iaWRlbi1hc2Vhbi12aWV0bmFtLXRyYW5zLXBhY2lmaWMtcGFydG5lcnNoaXANCg0KR2xv YmFsIFRpbWVzIEVkaXRvcmlhbCBvbiB0aGUgc2FtZSB0b3BpYzoNCg0KIuaIkeS7rOiupOS4uu+8 jOaLnOeZu+aUv+W6nOWGs+S4jeaYr+acieaEj+WGt+iQveWNsOWwvOWSjOS4nOebn++8jOebuOWP jeWug+WFtuWunuaYr+W+iOKAnOmHjeinhuKAneeahO+8m+S9humHjeinhuWNsOWwvOWSjOS4nOeb n+eahOecn+WunuWOn+WboOW5tuS4jeWFieaYjuato+Wkp++8jOS5n+S4juS4nOebn+eahOWunumZ heWIqeebiuWSjOaEj+aEv+S4jeebuOespu+8jOeUmuiHs+iDjOmBk+iAjOmpsOOAguWNjuebm+mh v+WvueS4nOebn+WzsOS8muS+p+mHjee7j+a1jui0uOaYk+WQiOS9nOeahOS4u+mimOe8uuS5j+WF tOi2o+aYr+ehruWumuaXoOeWkeeahOOAgg0KDQrljbPkvb/mi5znmbvlh7rluK3vvIzlj6/ku6Xm g7Pop4HvvIzku5bluKbliLDkuJznm5/ls7DkvJrkvJrlnLrnmoTkuZ/pg73mmK/kupvlnLDnvJjm lL/msrvlkozlronlhajnmoTogIHosIPph43lvLnvvIzmr5TlpoLor7TmiYDosJPigJzljZfmtbfo iKrooYzoh6rnlLHigJ3miJbigJzljZfmtbflspvnpIHkuonorq7igJ3nrYnvvIzlnKjlpJrovrnl nLrlkIjmkJ7liIbljJbliIboo4LjgIHmjJHmi6jnprvpl7TvvIzkuI7kvJrorq7lm6Lnu5PkuI7l kIjkvZznmoTlpKfmsJTmsJvmoLzmoLzkuI3lhaXjgILov5nkupvor53mlLnnlLHku47lk4jph4zm lq/lj6PkuK3or7Tlh7rmnaXvvIzotJ/pnaLlvbHlk43miJborrjov5jnm7jlr7nlsI/kuIDngrnj gILlm6DmraTvvIzmi5znmbvkuI3mnaXvvIzlubbpnZ7kuJznm5/ls7DkvJrnmoTpgZfmhr7vvIzm m7TosIjkuI3kuIrmjZ/lpLHjgIINCg0K5Li65LuA5LmI5ouc55m75Y676LaK5Y2X5LiN5Y675Y2w 5bC877yf6L+Z5ZCM5qC35pyJ6L+55Y+v5b6q44CC5Y2O55ub6aG/5a+55Lic55uf5YGa5bel5L2c 55qE5pWI5p6c5LiN5aW977yM5LqO5piv5byA5aeL5Zyo5Lic55uf5YaF6YOo4oCc5ZCE5Liq5Ye7 56C04oCd44CC5Yqg5LiK6L+Z5qyh5Y676LaK5Y2X77yM5ouc55m75ZKM5ZOI6YeM5pav6L+H5Y67 5LiA5bm057uV552A5Lit5Zu95b+r6LeR5ruh5LiA5ZyI5LqG77yM6YaJ57+B5LmL5oSP5YaN5piO 5pi+5LiN6L+H44CC576O5Zu95Zyo5Y+M6L655Zy65ZCI5pCe5Y2V6L656KGM5b6E77yM6IKv5a6a 6KaB5q+U5Zyo5aSa6L655Zy65ZCI5pa55L6/5LiA5Lqb44CC5L2G5a+55bey6KKr576O5Zu955uv 5LiK55qE5Lic55uf5oiQ5ZGY5Zu95p2l6K+077yM5bCx5b+F6aG75aSa55WZ5LiA5Liq5b+D55y8 5LqG44CCDQoNCue+juWbveOAiua0m+adieeftuaXtuaKpeOAi+acgOi/keeahOS4gOevh+aWh+er oOaKiuWNjuebm+mhv+eahOiAgeW6leWFnOWHuuadpeS6huOAguaWh+eroOivtO+8jOaLnOeZu+aU v+W6nOWdmuensOS4jeW8uui/q+WQhOWbveWcqOS4ree+juS5i+mXtOWBmuWHuumAieaLqe+8jOS9 huaNruivpeaKpeeahOmHh+iuv++8jOWNjuebm+mhv+WFrOW8gOWSjOengeS4i+WQkeS4nOebn+aI kOWRmOWbveaWveWOi++8jOimgeaxguWFtuaLkue7neS4reWbveaPkOWHuueahOKAnOS4gOW4puS4 gOi3r+KAneWAoeiuru+8jOWHj+WwkeWvueWMl+S6rOeahOe7j+a1juWSjOaKgOacr+S+nei1lu+8 jOW5tuWPlua2iOS4juS4reWbveeahOWGm+S6i+S8meS8tOWFs+ezu+OAgui/meS4jeaYr+WOi+S6 uuKAnOmAiei+ueermemYn+KAneaYr+S7gOS5iO+8n+i/nue+juWbveWqkuS9k+mDveaJv+iupO+8 jOWNjuebm+mhv+aLieaLouWwj+WciOWtkOato+WcqOaNn+Wus+iAjOS4jeaYr+aUueWWhOS4nOeb n+eahOWuieWFqOWFs+WIh+OAgg0KDQrnm7Tnmb3lnLDor7TvvIznvo7lm73mmK/lvZPliY3orqnk uJznm5/mnIDkuLrpmr7nmoTlm73lrrbvvIzlroPlh7rnjrDlnKjor6XlnLDljLrnmoTouqvlvbHo tormnaXotorpopHnuYHvvIzkvYbluKbmnaXnmoTlrp7pmYXliKnlpb3lkozlj5HlsZXlkIjkvZzm nLrkvJrotormnaXotorlsJHvvIzpo47pmanljbTotormnaXotorlpKfotormnaXotorlpJrjgILo gIzkuJznm5/nmoTmr4/kuIDmrKHkvJrorq7vvIzlrp7pmYXkuIrpg73mmK/nnJ/lgYflpJrovrnk uLvkuYnnmoTor5XpqozlnLrvvIzosIHluKbnnYDlkIjkvZzlhbHotaLnmoTnnJ/lv4PogIzmnaXv vIzosIHlj4jmirHnnYDmn7Tngavlkozmsb3msrnov4fmnaXvvIzov5nkupvlubbkuI3pmr7liIbo vqjvvIzkuJznm5/lm73lrrblv4Pph4zkuZ/ot5/mmI7plZzkvLznmoTjgILljY7nm5vpob/nmoTm lrnlkJHlpoLmnpzmkJ7plJnkuobvvIzlroPnlKjlipvotornjJvvvIzmnbXliLDmiYvnmoTmpoLn joflsLHotorlpKfvvIzmjKvotKXmhJ/kuZ/kvJrotorlvLrjgIIiIA0KaHR0cHM6Ly9vcGluaW9u Lmh1YW5xaXUuY29tL2FydGljbGUvNEVQSkNiRkI5MTI=

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From ltlee1@21:1/5 to All on Sun Sep 10 10:57:16 2023
    On Monday, September 4, 2023 at 7:32:58 AM UTC-4, ltlee1 wrote:
    "The administration may claim otherwise, but in prioritizing the Vietnam visit, it is doubling down on its efforts to build a nation-by-nation Cold War-style security bloc to counter China and avoiding working with regional groups — such as ASEAN —
    likely to decide the Indo-Pacific region’s future. In an increasingly multipolar world, Washington needs to become more effective at navigating fluid and flexible coalitions, not rerun an old playbook.
    ...
    According to our interviews, Washington has publicly and privately pressured ASEAN members to turn down China’s global infrastructure projects, known as the Belt and Road Initiative, reduce their economic and technological dependence on Beijing and
    cancel their military partnerships with the People’s Liberation Army. What the administration heralds as “putting really big, important strategic points on the board” — for example, gaining additional access to the Philippines’ military bases
    and holding the largest-ever military exercise with Indonesia — many in the region view as thinly disguised attempts to form a new U.S. security bloc. Upgrading the relationship with Vietnam is just the latest example.

    Worse, U.S. efforts to build its network of security partnerships are harming, not improving, ASEAN security concerns. For example, a trilateral initiative (known as AUKUS), in which the U.S. and the United Kingdom plan to equip Australia with nuclear-
    powered submarines, alarms some ASEAN states because it puts them geographically in the center of a dangerous U.S.-China tug of war.

    Washington’s limited approach to ASEAN as a collective has done little to allay those fears.
    ...
    In the end, Washington’s drive for exclusive partnerships could leave it isolated. No amount of U.S. effort will consolidate ASEAN members as an anti-China bloc because these countries depend on China economically and politically. That long-standing
    position is unlikely to change, a former Singaporean defense official told us."

    (Kelly A. Grieco is a senior fellow with the Reimagining US Grand Strategy Program at the Stimson Center, an adjunct associate professor of security studies at Georgetown University and a nonresident fellow at the Brute Krulak Center of Marine Corps
    University. Jennifer Kavanagh is a senior fellow with the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and an adjunct professor of security studies at Georgetown University. )
    https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-09-01/joe-biden-asean-vietnam-trans-pacific-partnership

    The Economist's article "Joe Biden’s visit to Hanoi is a signal to China: America and Vietnam have a shared interest in
    reining in aggression at sea" defends Biden's Hanoi visit: https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/09/07/joe-bidens-visit-to-hanoi-is-a-signal-to-china

    "SKIPPING AN ASEAN talkfest in Jakarta and hot on the heels of the G20 meeting in Delhi, Joe Biden is set to make
    a state visit to Vietnam on September 10th.
    ...
    Campaigners at home will accuse Mr Biden of cosying up to a regime with an appalling human-rights record. But he
    is bent on countering Chinese sway in the Indo-Pacific region. The trip is part of a strategy in which overlapping
    security initiatives create a spreading latticework on China’s periphery. Vietnam’s biggest security worry is Chinese
    encroachment in the South China Sea and harassment of fishing boats and oil-and-gas exploration vessels in Vietnamese
    waters. America lifted a ban on arms sales to Vietnam in 2016 and has since sold it two coastguard cutters. More defence
    initiatives may come out of this trip. After also strengthening its military relationship with the Philippines, America may be
    planning to challenge China more robustly in the South China Sea."

    One, however, to ask: How to measure aggression or aggressive intention? Chinese naval ships showing up in the SCS, or US naval ships thousands of miles to travel to show themselves in the SCS?

    China naval ships in the SCS is inevitable because the SCS is China's front door. In contrast, the US INTENTIONALLY send
    its naval ships to the SCS to challenge China. They come with aggressive intention.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From ltlee1@21:1/5 to All on Wed Sep 13 14:43:43 2023
    On Monday, September 4, 2023 at 7:32:58 AM UTC-4, ltlee1 wrote:
    "The administration may claim otherwise, but in prioritizing the Vietnam visit, it is doubling down on its efforts to build a nation-by-nation Cold War-style security bloc to
    counter China and avoiding working with regional groups — such as ASEAN — likely to decide the Indo-Pacific region’s future. In an increasingly multipolar world,
    Washington needs to become more effective at navigating fluid and flexible coalitions, not rerun an old playbook.

    Peggy Nanoon had a piece several days ago in the WSJ entitled "Biden’s Fibs Are a 20th-Century Throwback."

    "What these stories have in common is that they are cinematic. They’re pictures—the glistening scholar, the rumble.
    ...
    Mr. Biden has always taken it too far, and here is a small theory on why he tells lies. It is not only that, in terms of his
    nature and personality, he likes to make up stories and to be at the center of them.
    ...
    Mr. Biden became a pol before everything was on tape, so you could make up pretty much anything and not get caught.
    This was true of others in his political generation. Hillary Clinton got in trouble in 2008 for claiming she’d come under fire
    in a diplomatic visit to Bosnia. She didn’t; there was videotape. But she started out before videotape was accessible and
    ubiquitous.

    What is peculiar is that they don’t change when times change, and they get caught. This is testimony to the power of habit,
    but also connects to the old world of politics as a school of entertainment. Fifty and 100 years ago politicians were
    supposed to entertain you. One way to do it was through rousing and sentimental stories."

    https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-fibs-are-a-20th-century-throwback-corn-pop-foer-unions-2024-e29a484a?page=1

    Nanoon's piece does raise questions.
    " Fifty and 100 years ago politicians were supposed to entertain you. One way to do it was through rousing and sentimental stories."
    Biden does tell a rousing and sentimental story of good democracy like the US versus evil autocracy like China. But is the reality?
    Nanoon found Biden and Hillary don't change when times change. Is Biden not also bringing his old time Cold War mentality into
    the 21 century?


    ...
    According to our interviews, Washington has publicly and privately pressured ASEAN members to turn down China’s global infrastructure projects, known as the Belt and Road Initiative, reduce their economic and technological dependence on Beijing and
    cancel their military partnerships with the People’s Liberation Army. What the administration heralds as “putting really big, important strategic points on the board” — for example, gaining additional access to the Philippines’ military bases
    and holding the largest-ever military exercise with Indonesia — many in the region view as thinly disguised attempts to form a new U.S. security bloc. Upgrading the relationship with Vietnam is just the latest example.

    Worse, U.S. efforts to build its network of security partnerships are harming, not improving, ASEAN security concerns. For example, a trilateral initiative (known as AUKUS), in which the U.S. and the United Kingdom plan to equip Australia with nuclear-
    powered submarines, alarms some ASEAN states because it puts them geographically in the center of a dangerous U.S.-China tug of war.

    Washington’s limited approach to ASEAN as a collective has done little to allay those fears.
    ...
    In the end, Washington’s drive for exclusive partnerships could leave it isolated. No amount of U.S. effort will consolidate ASEAN members as an anti-China bloc because these countries depend on China economically and politically. That long-standing
    position is unlikely to change, a former Singaporean defense official told us."

    (Kelly A. Grieco is a senior fellow with the Reimagining US Grand Strategy Program at the Stimson Center, an adjunct associate professor of security studies at Georgetown University and a nonresident fellow at the Brute Krulak Center of Marine Corps
    University. Jennifer Kavanagh is a senior fellow with the American Statecraft Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and an adjunct professor of security studies at Georgetown University. )
    https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-09-01/joe-biden-asean-vietnam-trans-pacific-partnership

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)