President Trump withdrew all of the American troops in South Korea and Japan, made it clear that our nuclear umbrella did not cover them, and repudiated longstanding security commitments to Taiwan. The following events occurred after that:
- Lacking the ability to defend itself, Taiwan fell without a shot.
- The Japanese and South Koreans were essentially left with the choice of becoming Chinese vassal states or dramatically increasing expenditures on defense. Even building a nuclear weapon would not address the fragility of their economic lifeline through the East and South China Seas. The Chinese offered them easy terms, and they surrendered; they are now part of a well-defined Chinese economic and political sphere of influence.
- China’s remaining potential opponents made the best deal they could. The China Seas are now Chinese lakes.
- India held out. Control of the Indian Ocean is necessary for the Chinese to maintain their own economic lifeline. A potential conflict is brewing here.