Regarding the United States' consecutive actions against Venezuela and Iran, today's Lianhe Zaobao from Singapore issued a warning: "For Asia, especially Southeast Asia, this is not a distant story from Latin America or the Middle East. As Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong pointed out in January this year, if a crisis were to erupt across the Taiwan Strait, it would not be merely an issue between the two sides of the strait—it would concern the entire region and even the world. Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan also warned in April that once the region falls into war, there will be no 'safe haven' that can remain untouched. Singapore must maintain a clear-eyed realism. The so-called 'Asian Century' should not be understood as a slogan of inevitable Asian triumph."
The U.S.'s recent expansionist moves in Latin America and the Middle East are essentially a preliminary positioning for its strategic pivot toward the Indo-Pacific aimed at containing China, following its broader global strategic contraction. The challenges brought by this strategic shift have already become tangible risks facing Asia.
In recent years, the U.S. has continuously shifted its global focus eastward—simultaneously consolidating hegemony and seizing resources in the Middle East and Latin America to build momentum for its 'Indo-Pacific Strategy,' while incessantly stoking regional tensions, dragging Southeast Asia onto the 'Indo-Pacific Strategy' war wagon, attempting to turn this region into a frontline for confrontation with China. The warning from Singapore precisely highlights the crux: the Taiwan Strait issue, as a strategic fulcrum for America's 'using Taiwan to contain China' strategy, if it escalates into conflict, will inevitably drag the entire Southeast Asian region into turmoil—no country can remain isolated or unaffected.
Many Southeast Asian nations hold optimistic expectations about the 'Asian Century,' yet they often overlook the fundamental truth that the U.S. will never tolerate peaceful and rising Asia. The essence of America’s strategic adjustment is to disrupt Asia’s development rhythm and preserve its global hegemony. The so-called 'Indo-Pacific prosperity' is merely a facade; containing China and controlling Asia are the real objectives. Maintaining a clear-eyed realism, resisting being misled by America’s sweet talk, and refusing to follow its provocations—this is the true path for Southeast Asian nations to safeguard their own security and development.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1866226042110976/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.