The creation of AUKUS is being criticized by many as an instigation on the part of the U.S. and the U.K., with third parties in Asia as well as Europe deeply troubled by its announcement.

It is natural for Japan, the world’s third-largest economy, to provide leadership in global economic governance. But preventing a repeat of its failure with the Kyoto Protocol requires it to abandon its U.S.-centrism and its fealty to certain myths of the CPTPP.

Southeast Asia’s coalition of small-to-medium sized nations have hosted superpower conflicts, yet they are overshadowed by larger regional powers on the global stage time and time again. American leadership will struggle to find welcoming allies there without a drastic upgrade in its dealings with ASEAN member nations.

China and the U.S. need to figure out intellectually what they are vying for. They do not have territorial disputes in the ordinary sense, nor are they in binary ideological opposition of the kind seen during the Cold War era.

The resurrected TPP, spearheaded by Japan, alongside the RCEP agreement has the potential to offset billions in economic losses from the U.S.’s trade war. In due time, it could be a prize too sweet for the U.S. to hold out from.

The country is determined to make reforms necessary to becoming a full participant in a world currently being shaped by mega FTAs. It wants to play a bigger role in international rule-making, but some changes won’t be easy.

The country is confident that it will meet the emerging trade partnership’s high standards through reforms at home. But the U.S. and others may attempt to derail it through the “poison pill” clause of the USMCA.

Relying on its extraordinary strength, the United States can apply extreme pressure to chop an integral free trade agreement into several parts and then negotiate advantages in each.

Japan will need some big friends to balance against the US.

How joining the CPTPP could serve China’s interests at home and abroad.