US allies in Asia forge a new web of defense partnerships

Balikatan drills show Asian nations are preparing for a future less centered on Washington

Japanese military leaders attend the opening ceremony of the U.S.-Philippines Balikatan joint military exercises, at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Metro Manila on April 20. © Reuters

Richard Heydarian is an Asia-based geopolitics expert and author of "The Indo-Pacific: Trump, China and the New Struggle for Global Mastery."