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@Noahpinion's latest substack illustrates an important general lesson for how 
approaches "Great Power Competition" w/ 
: don't ignore "small states"
[THREAD] https://noahpinion.substack.com/p/ally-with-vietnam
approaches "Great Power Competition" w/ : don't ignore "small states"[THREAD] https://noahpinion.substack.com/p/ally-with-vietnam
Noah's article focuses on -
relations, directly comparing to the major regional powers in the "Quad": 
(+) https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/11/asia/quad-us-india-japan-australia-intl-hnk/index.html
- relations, directly comparing to the major regional powers in the "Quad": (+) https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/11/asia/quad-us-india-japan-australia-intl-hnk/index.html
Sure the Quad is important, but is also already in rivalry (), a simmering territorial dispute (), or full-on conflict () with each of those members.
is also already in rivalry (), a simmering territorial dispute (), or full-on conflict () with each of those members.
As major regional powers, they are all "billiard balls" (to borrow from Wolfers) who will keep bumping into one another (as major powers are apt to do) https://www.amazon.com/Discord-Collaboration-Essays-International-Politics/dp/0801806917
As such these states are unlikely to fully align with ...or fully align with one another: major regional powers like to keep other major regional powers at arms length.
...or fully align with one another: major regional powers like to keep other major regional powers at arms length.
Need evidence for this claim? See 
's historically lukewarm participation in European Integration. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2019/10/16/splendid-isolation-again-europe-as-narrated-during-the-referendum-campaign/
's historically lukewarm participation in European Integration. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2019/10/16/splendid-isolation-again-europe-as-narrated-during-the-referendum-campaign/
Of course, -- as an external power -- should continue to support the formal alliances it has with two of the three quad members: (via the 1952 Security Treaty) & (via the 1951 ANZUS pact).
-- as an external power -- should continue to support the formal alliances it has with two of the three quad members: (via the 1952 Security Treaty) & (via the 1951 ANZUS pact).
And continue down the road of building up its "special relationship"/strategic partnership/etc with https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/beca-india-us-trade-agreements-rajnath-singh-mike-pompeo-6906637/
continue down the road of building up its "special relationship"/strategic partnership/etc with https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/beca-india-us-trade-agreements-rajnath-singh-mike-pompeo-6906637/
But it is with the "small states" of that regional influence will be gained: it's where the "action is" in international politics. https://uwapress.uw.edu/book/9780295985244/small-states-in-international-relations/
Building relations with the small states in the region needs to be the focus of policy towards, whether with or other states. https://www.routledge.com/Small-States-and-Hegemonic-Competition-in-Southeast-Asia-Pursuing-Autonomy/Tang/p/book/9780367415228
policy towards, whether with or other states. https://www.routledge.com/Small-States-and-Hegemonic-Competition-in-Southeast-Asia-Pursuing-Autonomy/Tang/p/book/9780367415228
Indeed, building relations with smaller states, in and out of the region, appears to be a focus of policy.
policy.
Think of the RCEP agreement: a massive economic agreement that was an @ASEAN led initiative embraced by https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2020/11/16/rcep-a-new-trade-agreement-that-will-shape-global-economics-and-politics/
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2020/11/16/rcep-a-new-trade-agreement-that-will-shape-global-economics-and-politics/
While the economic impact of RCEP remains to be seen, its creation illustrates why pulling out the TPP negotiations was a geopolitical and diplomatic "own goal" by https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/08/tpp-was-missed-opportunity-for-us-to-pressure-china-bob-corker.html
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/08/tpp-was-missed-opportunity-for-us-to-pressure-china-bob-corker.html
Think of 's Belt and Road Initiative: Currying favor with smaller states appears to have been a focus of the policy... https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1868102620968848
's Belt and Road Initiative: Currying favor with smaller states appears to have been a focus of the policy... https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1868102620968848
...though that initiative seems to be failing/drying up/winding down/sputtering https://rhg.com/research/bri-down-out/
Think of 's "vaccine diplomacy" efforts... https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/china/2021-03-11/vaccine-diplomacy-paying-china
's "vaccine diplomacy" efforts... https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/china/2021-03-11/vaccine-diplomacy-paying-china
...though that is also running into issues. https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/China-cannot-win-the-great-vaccine-diplomacy-game-without-vaccines
So Noah is spot on: the focus of policy in the region shouldn't be "The Quad" -- they'll "balance" regardless -- but on , the rest of @ASEAN, and other small states.
[END]
policy in the region shouldn't be "The Quad" -- they'll "balance" regardless -- but on , the rest of @ASEAN, and other small states.[END]
