US Navy flexes soft power in ‘renewed pivot’ to Southeast Asia amid regional rivalry
The US Navy has initiated its largest annual humanitarian mission in the Indo-Pacific, Pacific Partnership 2026, with a strategic emphasis on Southeast Asia. This initiative aims to counter China's growing influence and bolster US soft power in the region. The five-month mission involves 300 personnel from the US and allied nations, with stops planned in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, East Timor, and Vietnam. AI
