Middle Power Diplomacy in an Age of U.S.-China Tensions

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In The Media

Middle Power Diplomacy in an Age of U.S.-China Tensions

A loose collection of like-minded, mid-sized players who also are traditional U.S. democratic allies have reinforced partnerships with one another and increasingly taken it upon themselves to press forward with multilateral solutions to various regional and global challenges in the absence of leadership from Washington.

By Erik Brattberg

Published on Mar 23, 2021

Washington Quarterly

About the Author

Erik Brattberg

Former Director, Europe Program, Fellow

Erik Brattberg was director of the Europe Program and a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. He is an expert on European politics and security and transatlantic relations.

Recent Work

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Foreign Policy Iran

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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Middle Power Diplomacy in an Age of U.S.-China Tensions

More Work from Carnegie China

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Malaysia’s chairmanship sought to fend off short-term challenges while laying the groundwork for minimizing ASEAN’s longer-term exposure to external stresses.

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For Malaysia, the conjunction that works is “and” not “or” when it comes to the United States and China.

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Commentary

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In July 2025, Vietnam and China held their first joint army drill, a modest but symbolic move reflecting Hanoi’s strategic hedging amid U.S.–China rivalry.

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Commentary

China’s Mediation Offer in the Thailand-Cambodia Border Dispute Sheds Light on Beijing’s Security Role in Southeast Asia

The Thai-Cambodian conflict highlights the limits to China's peacemaker ambition and the significance of this role on Southeast Asia’s balance of power.

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Beijing believes that Washington is overestimating its own leverage and its ability to handle the trade war’s impacts.

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