In US-China rivalry, middle powers urged to be 'indispensable' chokepoints
- Former UK PM Rishi Sunak advises smaller nations to become niche experts, citing ASML's chip tools or German optics, rather than trying to serve the 'whole buffet'.
- Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand pushes for 'strategic stocks' in energy and AI while Canada itself is in a bitter tariff war with the US.
- Indian FM Jaishankar rejects 'middle power' label, preferring 'power in the middle,' while noting India's history of standing in the rain without an umbrella.
- Ex-Aussie PM Kevin Rudd dumps cold water on 'G2' fears, calling a functional US-China co-management pact 'close to zero'.
- Diplomats admit protectionism is a structural trend, not just a Trump tantrum, citing Biden's trade policies as evidence.
Brief Summary
In a refreshingly honest admission from the global elite, a gaggle of former leaders and top diplomats gathered in New Delhi to tell the world's B-team nations that they should strive to be indispensable cogs in the machine rather than trying to buy the whole factory. Former British PM Rishi Sunak, apparently the keynote speaker for 'How to Succeed in Geopolitics by Really, Really Trying,' suggested that countries like his own can carve out a niche by being the world's best at making one specific, unglamorous component, like a Dutch chip machine or a German lens, instead of attempting to be a major power. This all comes as the US-China trade war, with a side of US-Israel-Iran conflict, is making everyone else nervous about being squeezed out of the grown-ups' table. The sharpest quip came from India's foreign minister, who declared his nation isn't a 'middle power' but rather the 'power in the middle,' a distinction that presumably makes his country's strategic position sound less like a speed bump and more like a toll booth. Meanwhile, the Canadian foreign minister is urging nations to build 'strategic stocks' of critical resources, even as her own country dukes it out in a tariff spat with the US, proving that the best advice is often given while your own house is on fire.
Why This Matters
For the average reader, this article is a cynical but clear-eyed look at the global game of musical chairs where the US and China are the only ones guaranteed a seat. The takeaway here is that the era of globalization as a rising tide lifting all boats is officially dead, replaced by a scramble for niche dominance and 'strategic stocks.' This matters because it explains why your grocery bill is up, why your tech gadgets cost more, and why the news is full of nations bickering over chips and minerals. It's a stark reminder that in a multipolar world, countries are less concerned with global harmony and more focused on making themselves too useful to be tossed aside or, as Canada is learning, too annoying to be ignored.