Wang Yi heads to Seoul as Trump cuts South Korea drills, opening door for China

4-MIN READ4-MIN2ListenPublished: 8:05pm, 18 Aug 2026China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to visit Seoul days after Donald Trump called for the US to scale back military exercises with South Korea, sending ripples of unease through US allies in Asia.On Sunday, the United States president posted his decision to social media, raising questions about the durability of Washington’s security commitments in a region increasingly defined by competition with Beijing.He offered several rationales, including cost-saving considerations, a goodwill gesture towards North Korea and dissatisfaction over Korea’s refusal to join the US in the Iran war.01:53Trump orders Pentagon chief to cut number of joint military exercises with South KoreaAccording to observers, such moves threaten to damage alliance coordination, causing disquiet among regional partners and handing China a strategic opening to dilute America’s network of regional partnerships.