The spotlight is back on the so-called Squad minilateral grouping of nations aimed at countering China’s influence in the Asia-Pacific, after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth hailed the bloc as the most “strategically positioned to manifest deterrence”.
Observers, however, are mixed on such a stance, pointing to Washington’s transactional approach and seemingly erratic policy shifts under President Donald Trump, warning there may be “little appetite” in focusing on the group.
At last month’s…