The Trump effect: China to eclipse US power in Asia by 2030, says Lowy Institute
America’s military might means it remains the most powerful force in Asia – for now, but nervousness over the US president’s policies will speed China’s rise to the top spot, finds Lowy Institute in its first Asia Power Index
The Lowy Institute unveiled its inaugural Asia Power Index on Tuesday in New York, painting a compelling picture of the current and future power balance in a region that houses three of the world’s four largest economies and an increasing majority of the global population, trade and production.
It found that, although not geographically an Asian nation, the United States remains the most powerful of 25 countries, giving it a score of 85. It topped five of the eight sub-measures – economic resources, military capabilities, resilience, defence networks and cultural influence. China, meanwhile, ranked second with a score of 75.5 and led the remaining sub-measures – future trends, diplomatic influence and economic relationships.
Japan, India and Russia rounded out the top five most powerful Asian nations, while Nepal, Laos, Mongolia and Cambodia sat at the bottom end of the ranking.
Lowy listed America’s unrivalled military force and its defence networks, its university education system and its widely consumed media as its key influences in Asia – after all, China Daily is not as widely read for US news as The New York Times is for China news.