Underneath the public press jabs that go on between East and West, the realm of resource competition is reshaping the relationships between Europe, China, and Russia as states move to secure immediate needs of oil and other resources.

The Philippines is strengthening defense ties with the United States at a time of escalating US-China rivalry. Manila aims to mitigate power asymmetry, while China’s response to its maritime neighbor reflects a deep distrust of alliances and wary of invaders which came by sea.

China’s new rare-earth export controls have turned its dominance in the sector into a powerful strategic tool, extending restrictions to technology, equipment, and expertise that tighten global dependence. The move has intensified tensions with the United States and its allies, highlighting how control over critical minerals now defines the balance of economic and geopolitical power.

America’s Afghan pullout was a strategic debacle. Going back to Bagram Air Base would only sink the U.S. into another costly, divisive and failure-prone intervention in a geo-economic war at the center of Asia.

Donald Trump is threatening to retake Bagram Air Base to gain access to Afghanistan’s rich mineral deposits and to check China and other countries. It’s a costly fantasy. Trump himself signed the 2020 Doha Accord, and his about-face reveals a foreign policy driven by political revenge.

Indonesia, born from its 1945 struggle for independence, has grown into Southeast Asia’s largest economy and a significant global player, yet remains under-discussed in high-level political discourse. Despite ongoing challenges, China and Indonesia specifically have significant potential for cooperation in trade and technology.

The military parade in Beijing on Sept. 3 and the SCO summit in Tianjin elicited a profound psychological response in the United States and other Western countries. Debates over China’s strategic ascent and the prospect of a continental alignment have intensified.

China and India are cautiously rebuilding ties after years of mistrust, with renewed border talks, restored flights, and revived trade, a shift accelerated by Trump’s steep tariffs on Indian goods. Instead of isolating Moscow’s partners, Washington’s selective approach appears to be driving the two Asian rivals closer together.

Amid the broader context of its strategic retrenchment in the Middle East, Washington aims to preserve its influence without committing substantial resources, something that requires deft skills — something that Donald Trump lacks.

The Philippines is significantly upgrading defense ties with Australia and other Western partners amid growing tensions with China in the South China Sea, underscored by large joint exercises and plans for expanded troop access. Yet despite China’s overwhelming military advantage, both Manila and Beijing share responsibility to de-escalate tensions and pursue diplomatic solutions, especially as the Philippines prepares to chair ASEAN next year.