Professor Xinbo Wu, President of the Institute of International Studies Fudan University and Vice President of the FDDI, argues that the Trump 2.0 administration’s five-day trip to three Asian countries is both symbolic and substantive. The symbolic element lies in projecting a “balanced diplomatic agenda” to enhances his image, while the substantive element reflects his focus on realistic interests and securing outcomes he can boast about.The Malaysia visit is largely symbolic, mainly highlighting his claimed role in mediating the Cambodia–Thailand dispute. By contrast, the visits in Japan and South Korea are more pragmatic, aimed at obtaining real economic gains such as investment.The real priorities of the trip lie in Northeast Asia: extracting benefits from Japan and South Korea, stabilizing China–US economic relations, and addressing the closely watched US–North Korea relationship.Yet compared with eight years ago, the regional landscape has changed, and Asian countries’ attitudes toward the United States have shifted. Trump now faces an atmosphere of greater concern, skepticism, and indifference—signaling a continued decline in US influence in the Asia-Pacific.

Translated by Guanyu LU

Full text in Chinese available at:

https://fddi.fudan.edu.cn/81/e3/c18965a754147/page.htm