The United States has re-entered Asia’s power game under Donald Trump, balancing China’s decade-long dominance and reshaping the region’s trade, technology, and strategic balance. After years of strategic drift, Washington is back in Asia — and not quietly.

Trump’s re-entry at the APEC summit, followed by visits to Japan and key ASEAN states, marks America’s most forceful Indo-Pacific push since the Obama era pivot. His message was clear: “The US is back in Asia” — determined to reclaim its economic and strategic footprint.

For over a decade, America’s absence allowed China to make deep inroads through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), regional lending, and infrastructure investments, tying Southeast Asian economies into its orbit. From Myanmar’s ports to Indonesia’s industrial corridors, Chinese capital built both bridges and influence.

At APEC, Trump projected warmth and assertiveness in equal measure. He called his trip a “mission of friendship and goodwill” while pledging US commitment to a “free, open, and thriving Indo-Pacific.” He announced new partnerships in energy, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, and advanced technology. Critical minerals deals remain his priority and a number of countries of the region have volunteered to work with the US on its supply chain.

Two trade deals and two framework agreements unveiled during his tour cover about 68 percent of America’s $475 billion two-way trade........

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