China will have to confront the Three T’s of Trump, trade, and Taiwan, as well as the progressively unfolding and American-provoked New Cold War that it’s involved in with India, but Beijing could make positive geopolitical progress so long as its New Silk Road plans in Pakistan and ASEAN aren’t derailed by Hybrid War.
The Russian-Japanese detente will incrementally continue, but the future of Northeast Asia is contingent on what happens with the two Koreas, as this could either lead to the formation of a Regional Quartet or two separate blocs.
The US’ original plans for the Pivot to Asia have largely been reversed in favor of China, though Washington still has a few tricks up its sleeve through Hybrid War and the “Lead From Behind” stratagem in making up for its recent setbacks.
India and the US strategically converge in the grandest way possible when it comes to countering China, hence why both sides entered into an unprecedented military-strategic partnership over the summer through the signing of LEMOA, which crucially allows either country to use all of the other’s military installations on a case-by-case basis.
The Eurasian Heartland can expect to immensely benefit from the Russian- and Chinese-led integrational projects being advanced in this region
The Mideast is undergoing a fundamental geopolitical reorganization as Russia spearheads a Tripartite Concert of Great Powers between itself, Iran, and Turkey aimed at ending the War on Syria, though this game-changing partnership could be offset by conflicting objectives between the two Mideast powers in Iraq, which the US will try to exploit to all feasible ends.
2016 is over, and it’s thus time to review the most significant events that occurred in each region and prognosticate how they may influence the coming year.
©2024
