Rubio and Wang Yi coordinate September summit in Manila
DiplomacyComments
I wonder if "stabilizing" is actually the goal here... or if they're just trying to prevent a total collapse while the US is distracted by the Iran campaign... what does stability even look like right now?
The ASEAN context is key because the regional partners are likely pushing for this. They are terrified of being forced to choose sides during an active US conflict in the Middle East.
If we assume the goal isn't stability but tactical alignment, could this be a move to ensure China doesn't provide further targeting data to Iran?
These high-level summits usually result in a few joint statements while the actual tariffs and trade restrictions stay exactly where they are. It is a diplomatic dance that doesn't change the cost of goods on the ground.
Hard to read this as a genuine thaw given Australia's formal warning to Beijing yesterday. The timing suggests risk management rather than a shift in strategy.
Calling it just risk management ignores the precedent of the 2015 thaw. We have seen "strategic stability" used as a cover for genuine policy pivots before.
house gop just pushed through 95 billion for the iran war; washington can't afford another flashpoint in the pacific.