U.S. President Donald Trump will travel to Asia next week for a highly anticipated summit with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. Trump will be returning to a region he's personally transformed through his challenges to the international order, tariffs, and now the Iran war that's hit Asia's energy sector especially hard.

The U.S.-led security architecture across the Asia-Pacific is also showing signs of real strain, as alliances fray and the institutions set up to counter China are on the verge of collapse.

Derek Grossman, a prominent U.S.-Asia scholar at the University of Southern California and CGSP's non-resident fellow for the Asia-Pacific, argues that the Quad security partnership is now "on the brink of extinction." Derek joins Eric to discuss how 18 months of Trump's foreign policy have reshaped Asia's security landscape.

📌 Topics Covered in this Episode

1. Trump-Xi summit and the future of U.S.-China relations
2. Taiwan tensions and fears over U.S. security commitments
3. The possible collapse of the Quad alliance strategy
4. How Southeast Asian countries are balancing China and the U.S.
5. China's growing influence in Indonesia, Thailand, and ASEAN
6. Why Asian allies are questioning America's long-term role

Show Notes:

• The China-Global South Project: The Asia-Pacific's New Oil Order by Derek Grossman
• Foreign Policy: Trump's Southeast Asia Trade Deals Are in Limbo by Derek Grossman
• Hinrich Foundation: Balancing act or breaking point? Indonesia's trade policy amid US-China rivalry by Derek Grossman

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