Reference News Network, December 25 report: The UK's Financial Times website published an article titled "An Era of New Uncertainty for Middle Powers" on December 22. The author is Alec Russell. Excerpts follow:
When imperialist rulers signal a strategic withdrawal, their prestige often collapses faster than they expect. Similar things are happening as the United States has stepped back from its supervisory role in recent decades.
Theoretically, this is the moment when the "era of middle powers" arrives, especially for strong countries in the Global South. For a long time, they have hoped that the United States would fall from its preaching pedestal. This is indeed happening.
However, the speed at which the United States has fallen from its pedestal has shocked and frustrated many countries, especially in Asia. In Asia, China's influence is growing. As a former official from Southeast Asia said, "Although we hoped for this shift, we thought it would be gradual and natural. We did not realize that it would be initiated by the United States."
Before Trump's first term, the United States' prestige had already been weakening, and its desire for global leadership had begun to wane; this can be traced back to the 2008 financial crisis, even further back to the disastrous invasion of Iraq before that. But Trump's second inauguration accelerated this process.
For more ambitious middle powers, this is a golden era to pursue their own interests. This spring, India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar articulated this vision and opportunity in an interview with the Financial Times. He said the transition to a more representative global system was "long overdue." He also said, "The advantages of the old order were exaggerated."
Certainly, the "rules-based international order" is often hypocritical. S. Jaishankar's views resonated with many countries in the Global South, as they have had to endure U.S. self-serving geopolitical sanctions for decades.
This theory suggests that the U.S. desire to be the world's hegemon is gradually diminishing, and China's rise will push middle powers to shift their focus between China and the U.S. For some countries, this situation may be becoming reality.
In Southeast Asia, several U.S. allies and partners, including Singapore and Malaysia, have always had to pursue this balance. In response to Trump's tariff policies, they are representatives of many middle powers reshaping their business relationships. Among them, Singapore is opening two new embassies in Africa.
However, the accelerated decline of the U.S.-led multilateral system is extremely difficult for countries that have achieved economic growth through globalization. When asked how difficult it is to balance between the U.S. and China, Tunku Abdul Rahman, former Malaysian trade minister, said: "It is extremely difficult... In a multipolar world, multilateralism will not be smooth."
S. Jaishankar warned in an interview that one should be cautious of the dangers of the transitional period. He said that there must be an alternative order, which not only needs to be "extremely gradual," but also "comfortable and stable." He said, if not, "you will see a very chaotic world."
Is this what is happening during Trump's second term? For those indecisive countries, it is undoubtedly a world full of opportunities, where they can do business with the U.S. without having to accept its lectures on freedom and transparency. (Translated by Hu Jing)
Original: toutiao.com/article/7587704999224885812/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.