A criticism of U.S. security alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific had long been that these were based on bilateral relations, with little coordination among Washington’s regional allies.
But a dramatic change in the U.S.-led regional security architecture has been taking place in recent years, with the pace quickening in recent months.
New challenges affecting the region, particularly the rapid rise of China, have led to the emergence of minilateralism, or several small U.S.-led groupings of countries aiming to tackle shared security concerns.