US-China Competition and Northeast Asian Realignments

Xi Jinping and Donald Trump held a direct meeting in South Korea. US-China rivalry continues with sanctions, AI race, trade war, and new fronts: Panama Canal arbitration, Arctic Northern Sea Route, Southeast Asia AI blocs. Japan is pulling NATO into the Far East, alarming China and Russia. USCC warns US losing data standards race; China's CIPS/mBridge undermining sanctions. Geopolitical fragmentation hinders AI governance. A new CFR report urges US to shift defense production to 'precise mass' to counter China. Pakistan seeks US funding, signaling a shift from China. Southeast Asian hedging is fragmenting.