Image Credit: DOD photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jette Carr

http://thediplomat.com/2017/06/asias-minilateral-moment/

With fear of U.S. abandonment on the rise, Asian states are looking to increase cooperation with each other.

By Tongfi Kim
June 13, 2017

“The election of Donald Trump as U.S. president created many problems for U.S. allies across the world, but there may be a silver lining for security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. U.S. allies and partners in the region now face significant opportunities for so-called minilateralism. In fact, media reports suggest that such cooperation among a small number of countries is already intensifying as regional states are ‘unsettled by growing fears that the United States could not be relied on to maintain a buffer against China’s assertiveness.'”