Canada wants a middle-power alliance. Will Asia-Pacific sign up?

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Maria SiowFebruary 5, 2026 at 02:31 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has proposed an alliance of middle-power nations to counter economic coercion from larger countries. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January, Carney advocated for collective action to resist the use of tariffs and supply chain pressure as geopolitical leverage. This proposal is seen as a response to actions by the United States under President Trump. While analysts believe the concept appeals to many Asia-Pacific nations, including Japan, South Korea, and Australia, significant obstacles exist. Divergent interests, political realities, and existing security dependencies on the US or China make a unified alliance challenging to achieve.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

New Zealand 40% South Korea 40% Japan 40% Australia 40% Indonesia 40% Davos ×250% Switzerland 50% World Economic Forum 50% Donald Trump ×260% United States ×270% Canada ×480% Mark Carney ×690%

Keywords

middle power alliance 100% mark carney 80% economic coercion 70% fragmenting world order 70% asia-pacific 60% geopolitical leverage 60% supply chain pressure 50% tariffs 50% great powers 40% united states 40%