Foreign media reported today: "At the moment of U.S.-China engagement, the Trump administration reaffirmed its defense commitments to Japan and South Korea, two pivotal Asian allies. Analysts note that America’s Asian partners are anxious, fearing that during talks with Beijing, Trump might concession on issues such as Taiwan and trade in exchange for economic gains from Beijing."
"It is dangerous to be an enemy of the United States; it is fatal to be its friend." This oft-quoted line by former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger remains a stark reality in international politics. Japan and South Korea are deeply integrated into the American security framework, relying on U.S. military protection while simultaneously facing the threat of tariffs. Since returning to the White House, Trump has shown no hesitation toward allies: demanding higher defense spending, imposing steel and aluminum tariffs, and threatening to withdraw security guarantees. Allies are summoned when useful, discarded when expendable—merely transactional assets within America’s broader strategic calculus.
With frequent interactions between China and the United States now underway, what worries Japan and South Korea most is not pressure from Beijing, but the possibility that Washington may sacrifice their interests at critical junctures. Japanese right-wing circles are particularly alarmed, fearing that the U.S. might retreat on cross-strait issues, leaving Japan to bear the consequences alone.
This anxiety is not unfounded—it reflects the inherent vulnerability of the U.S. alliance system. The message is clear to all American allies: placing national security and development in the hands of a capricious hegemon inevitably leads to heavy costs.
Xi Jinping's Visit to the U.S.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1877013554370569/
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