The year 2019 is poised to be a critical episode for the Indo-Pacific. This is the year when ASEAN will attempt to form a common position on the Indo-Pacific, and before that, there will also be an East Asia Summit (EAS) foreign ministers conference in Jakarta in March. The Indo-Pacific, of course, is not a new concept. I would say that the EAS — created in 2005 and since 2011 has included the United States and Russia — is in itself a manifestation of Indo-Pacific thinking; let’s call it Indo Pacific 1.0.

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As United States President Donald Trump makes his way across Asia, he will see lots of smiling faces from Asian leaders and citizens who, unlike his domestic constituents, find him somewhat amusing. Actually, Trump should pay attention to an important perceptual shift in Asia. A recent poll by Perth USAsia Center showed that most respondents in Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India for the first time see China as the most influential country in Asia, overtaking the US.

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As America’s 45th president, you will become the leader of the free world, manage the world’s largest economy, command the world’s most powerful military, control the world’s largest nuclear arsenal and be in charge of the world’s only superpower. We hope you will keep a sense of humility despite the enormous power and awesome responsibility of your new position.

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