US Secretary of State Tony Blinken has
outlined his aspirations for US foreign policy. His words were encouraging – even inspiring. But so far in his tenure, US actions in Asia do not match them – and in Asia actions speak louder than words. The current reality is a mix of hopes, hype, disharmony and hypocrisy. Moreover, the contradictions between words and actions raise the question of who is in charge, the diplomats or the militarists?
State Department “guidelines” for US foreign policy going forward
assume that “the Indo-Pacific region is becoming the key to shaping the international order in the 21st century.”