The United States has had a solid record of using competitive strategies. One could easily make the argument that the competitive strategies implemented throughout the Carter and Reagan administrations played a major role in ending the Cold War in the United States’ favor. Furthermore, the fact that the Indo-Pacific concept has become increasingly visible illuminates how the U.S. presence and the U.S.-led security framework in the region is growing solid and resilient. Moreover, the elimination of fixed terms for the Chinese presidency may rather indicate Chinese weakness rather than strength. In fact, China spends more on internal rather than external defense within its skyrocketing defense budget. These facts indicate that there is a fair chance that a competitive strategy may be effective for the United States once again.

Nevertheless, the changing strategic environment in the Indo-Pacific region over the past couple of years indicates that the mere presence of the United States and its excessive reliance on technological advantages may be insufficient in upholding the liberal international order. Indeed, investment in technology is crucial to preserving America’s military edge. However, at the same time, the current security environment demands that we pay more attention to tactics and strategies that opponents have adopted. By adopting the right strategies and learning from the experience and lessons in the 1970s and 1980s, the United States has a fair chance in defending and fostering the liberal international order in the Indo-Pacific region.

Takuya Matsuda is a PhD student in War Studies at King’s College London and holds a MA from Johns Hopkins/SAIS.

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