China’s global image has deteriorated significantly in the past four years, alienating leading democracies and developing countries alike with aggressive foreign policy, economic coercion, and faltering soft power policies.

To support its allies and partners in South Asia, the United States should assist South Asian countries in assessing Belt and Road Initiative risks and benefits.

Despite growing rivalry among the major powers, multilateral institutions like the United Nations can continue to play a vital role in the management of violent conflict. Washington should look for opportunities to work with these institutions and, where needed, bolster their role in cooperation with other powers to manage future regional threats to peace.

The United States should regard distrust, not cooperation, as a baseline condition for starting negotiations around shared global threats and challenges with other major powers, such as China and Russia.