REPORT: Stability at an Inflection Point: U.S. Strategy in a Changing Northeast Asia

By Susan A. Thornton, Emily Sparkman, and Nia Williams
January 2026

A delegation from the National Committee on American Foreign Policy (NCAFP) visited Shanghai, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul, and Tokyo in December 2025 to discuss regional security issues and U.S. foreign policy in Northeast Asia. Last year proved impactful for U.S. relations with East Asia, as shifting regional dynamics heightened strategic competition with China, and renewed diplomatic engagement amid leadership transitions in Japan and the Republic of Korea took shape. Interlocutors in Shanghai, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul, and Tokyo understand that major changes in U.S. foreign and security policy are underway. Despite uncertainties, contacts maintain the desire for a continued U.S. presence in the region. However, they hold differing views on what a U.S. presence should entail, and seek a greater definition of what an altered, yet sustained U.S. role would look like.

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