US power in Asia Pacific falls amid mishandling of Covid, Australia's Lowy Institute finds

The United States remains the top power in the region but China is on track to match it by the end of this decade, the Asia Power Index says

The United States remains the top power in the Indo-Pacific but has suffered the biggest relative fall in its standing in the region over the past year, partly because of the loss of prestige over the mishandling of Covid-19, according to the Lowy Institute's Asia Power Index.

Releasing the latest annual results on Monday, the Australia-based foreign policy thinktank said while China's standing had stalled, the rising power remained in second place and was believed to be on track to match the US by the end of this decade.