Trump's Kim gambit deepens doubts over US reliability at key moment for Asia
DONALD Trump’s olive branch to North Korea’s Kim Jong Un at the expense of a long-standing ally comes at a pivotal moment for US security ties in Asia, as partners from Japan to India reassess how much they can rely on Washington.
Donald Trump's olive branch to North Korea's Kim Jong Un at the expense of longstanding US allies raises concerns about US reliability in Asia. The abrupt cancellation of military drills with South Korea, described by Trump as hostile to Pyongyang, has deepened doubts about Washington's commitment to the region. Japan, India, and Taiwan are reassessing their reliance on the United States as allies worry they could be targeted.
The decision to cancel another military exercise with South Korea and Trump's push for talks with Kim Jong Un, who has refused to meet, could further strain alliances. Japanese officials are particularly worried about the possibility of a sharp increase in US defense costs for hosting US forces, as Tokyo prepares for talks with Washington.
The cancellation of US military exercises with Japan and the renaming of the Pentagon's Asia military headquarters to Pacific Command have also fueled concerns about the erosion of US deterrence against China and India's diminished strategic importance to Washington.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
