Trump's stance towards China, Russia heralds US policy change

CHINA warned the Trump administration on Saturday not to destabilise East Asia after US Defense Secretary James Mattis said in Japan that the Senkaku islands, claimed by both Tokyo and Beijing, were covered by a US-Japan military mutual-defence accord. Mr Mattis accused China of "shredding the trust" of its neighbours, and his remarks build on those last month by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that Beijing should "not be allowed access" to its new, artificial islands in the South China Sea.

After a frenzied first two weeks in office, it is increasingly clear that President Donald Trump wants "a new foreign policy direction", perhaps the biggest shake-up since 1945. His policies towards other "great powers", including China and Russia, in his first 100 days could be key leading indicators of the degree of transformation on the horizon.

It is already clear that the new administration will challenge key elements of post-war orthodoxy pursued, in different ways, by Democratic and Republican presidents based around US global dominance and commitment to expanding the liberal democratic order. Mr Trump has already, controversially, scrapped US involvement in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), placed new sanctions on Iran and put it "on notice", and introduced a temporary immigration ban for seven Muslim-majority countries.