US President Donald Trump waves goodbye before entering Air Force One to leave Manila, in the Philippines, just hours before the East Asia Summit he had been expected to attend, on November 14, 2017. Analysts see this as a key moment in the decline of US influence in the Asia-Pacific. Photo: AP
Opinion
Opinion
How no-show Donald Trump allows China to advance its influence in the Asia-Pacific
- Trump’s blunders in the region, including his continued absence from the East Asia Summit, damage US strategic credibility and make it harder for smaller states to resist China’s influence. All China has to do, basically, is show up
US President Donald Trump waves goodbye before entering Air Force One to leave Manila, in the Philippines, just hours before the East Asia Summit he had been expected to attend, on November 14, 2017. Analysts see this as a key moment in the decline of US influence in the Asia-Pacific. Photo: AP