The latest escalation in the Sino-US trade conflict marks a dangerous turning point in global economic diplomacy. What was once a battle over tariffs has morphed into a geopolitical tug-of-war, with countries caught in the middle being asked to take sides. But the real tragedy here isn’t just the rising levies or retaliatory sanctions ~ it is the erosion of trust in a global system that was supposed to encourage cooperation, not coercion. Washington’s push to compel countries to reduce trade with China in exchange for tariff relief may seem like a tactical maneuver, but it undermines the principles of free trade and sovereignty. The message is clear: loyalty to the US must come at the cost of commercial ties with China.

This binary choice is not only unsustainable for most nations, particularly in Southeast Asia, but also deeply counterproductive. Many of these countries have long-standing economic ties with both powers. Forcing them into a zero-sum equation ignores their........

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