Even in an eventful year like this one, the noisiest crises aren’t always the most consequential. The war in Ukraine, the tariff spats and the continuing turmoil in the Middle East have dominated the headlines. But future historians may well say that the most important developments of our times were taking place elsewhere.
Ever since Hillary Clinton served as secretary of state in President Obama’s first term, Americans have talked about the importance of pivoting to Asia. The belief that the 21st century will be driven by events in the Indo-Pacific is a bipartisan cliché. Yet as a society we find the psychological shift from our old Eurocentric habits hard to make.