Actually, Trump should pay attention to an important perceptual shift in Asia. A recent poll by Perth USAsia Center showed that most respondents in Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India for the first time see China as the most influential country in Asia, overtaking the US.

Most respondents in those countries also believe China will remain the most influential country for the next decade, again overtaking the US. The presidency of Trump was a relevant factor in this. The poll results reflect the evolving views held by Asians toward the US and China.

When Asians see the US and China, they don’t just see two great powers locked in strategic rivalry; they also now see a picture of two sharply contrasting images of leadership.

While President Trump puts emphasis on “America first” and is determined to make the US “win, win, win,” President Xi Jinping stresses the theme of “common destiny” and “shared prosperity.”

While Trump blamed globalization for the US’ ills, Xi said in Davos that China’s embrace of globalization had been “the right strategic choice” and called for “global free trade and investment.” While Trump pulls the US out of the Paris climate pact, Xi is positioning China as the world’s new climate champion.

Trump has also ditched Obama’s “rebalance” to Asia policy, but so far has fallen short of providing a credible Asia policy of his own.

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