Al Jazeera English | As the US–China trade war escalates with aggressive tariff increases and rising economic nationalism, countries around the world are facing mounting pressure to align with one of the two rival powers. The deepening rift between Washington and Beijing extends beyond trade and into technology, finance, and global governance, increasingly framing international relations in binary terms. For many nations — especially in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America — this presents a strategic dilemma: how to maintain balanced relations with both superpowers without compromising national interests. These countries often rely on Chinese infrastructure financing and trade partnerships under initiatives like the Belt and Road, while simultaneously depending on access to Western markets, investment, and institutions. Kenya, for instance, illustrates this balancing act, forging new agreements with China while leveraging trade preferences from the United States. The broader question, however, is whether the space for such diplomatic and economic maneuvering is shrinking. As the global order becomes more polarized, the flexibility of middle and smaller powers to remain non-aligned may be increasingly tested, forcing them into complex choices that could reshape their long-term development strategies and international partnerships.
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