American officials increasingly see China losing diplomatic ground in Asia as Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin heads to Singapore for a regional security forum that will include a meeting with a top Chinese defense official.
Determined not to be distracted by the war in Ukraine, administration officials say China has provided an opening for the U.S. to solidify relationships in Asia. That’s in large part because of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s insistence on "COVID zero" policies that have crimped economic growth, as well as a growing backlash against China’s assertive foreign policy.
China has accused Washington of seeking to encircle it with a NATO-like system of alliances and recently pressed Pacific Island nations to sign security and economic deals that sparked alarm in Australia and the U.S. It is also providing diplomatic support for Russia following its invasion of Ukraine and stepping up military activity around Taiwan, further worrying the island’s government as well as nations that dispute Beijing’s expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea.