LettersUS is not retreating from Asia. It’s rewriting the terms of its security umbrella
Readers discuss Washington’s message at the Shangri-La Dialogue, facilitating Central Asia’s economic integration, and Hong Kong’s sexual health clinics
This marks the end of the old protection model, where many regional states benefited from the US deterrence umbrella while contributing limited military weight of their own. Pete Hegseth’s comment that Washington wants “partners, not protectorates” reflects adjustment, not abandonment. The US remains committed, but that commitment will now be more conditional, reciprocal and capability-driven.
Asia remains central to the future balance of power. Despite pressures in Europe, the Middle East and the western hemisphere, Washington still sees the Indo-Pacific as the decisive theatre of long-term strategic competition.
Allies and partners will increasingly be judged by capability, readiness and burden-sharing, not sentiment. A tiered partnership model is emerging, with priority given to states that invest more, integrate more and contribute more. Japan, South Korea and the Philippines are already moving in this direction. For many Southeast Asian states, however, the implications are more difficult, especially for those still trapped in cautious hedging while remaining underinvested in defence capacity.