U.S. President Donald Trump shows an executive order on "reciprocal tariffs" at the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 2, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)For Asian countries, the lesson is clear: reliance on a self-serving hegemon only leads to exploitation.by Gong RongIn pursuit of "America First," the United States has been wielding the tariff stick, threatening to take control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, and making proposals like "clearing out Gaza." These policies and statements have revealed a sobering truth: the United States, despite its waning global hegemony, will not hesitate to sacrifice even its closest allies just to sustain its dominance.For its Asian allies and partners like Japan, South Korea, India and potentially the Philippines, the transactional diplomacy of the new administration has been a wake-up call.ECONOMIC BETRAYAL: WEAPONIZATION OF TARIFFS AND TRADEThe revival of protectionism in the United States has struck its allies with ferocity. U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order on the so-called "reciprocal tariffs," imposing a 10-percent "minimum baseline tariff" and higher rates on certain trading partners, including its Asian allies.In March, Washington imposed a 25-percent tariff on steel and aluminum imports from all trading partners, among which Japan, South Korea and India collectively accounted for over 30 percent. This move, aimed at "protecting American jobs," directly undermines decades of supply chain integration. For South Korea, a key exporter of steel to the United States, the tariffs may cause an annual loss of 12 billion U.S. dollars and drive up costs for American manufacturers reliant on Korean materials, creating a "lose-lose" scenario.The administration's "Fair and Reciprocal Plan" on trade, announced in February, further weaponized trade. By demanding reciprocal tariffs, it is penalizing allies and partners like India, which maintains an average tariff of 12 percent, and Japan, at 4.1 percent, for protecting their domestic industries. South Korea, accused of imposing tariffs four times higher than those of the United States -- a claim Seoul strongly denies -- faces the threat of retaliatory measures despite its decades of economic alignment with Washington.Such tactics reveal a stark reality: for the United States, loyalty is a one-way street.STRATEGIC SABOTAGE: ABANDONING SECURITY COMMITMENTSThis approach also extends to security alliances and partnerships. High-ranking U.S. officials have repeatedly dismissed the United States-Japan security treaty as "unequal," claiming that "we have to protect them, but they don't have to protect us." This has shaken Tokyo's faith in U.S. commitments. In March, the United States again openly demanded that Japan boosts defense spending to 3 percent of its GDP, up from the current 1.2 percent, while offering no reciprocal guarantees.The blockade of Nippon Steel's 14.9 billion-dollar acquisition of U.S. Steel last December -- justified under the vague pretext of "national security" -- further illustrates how America is taking advantage of its allies. Despite Japan's offer to preserve jobs in the United States and share advanced manufacturing technology, Washington coerced Tokyo into a lopsided "investment partnership" prioritizing U.S. control.The Philippines risks becoming the next victim. The U.S. transactional mindset, evident in its recent threats to "renegotiate defense terms" unless Manila "pays its fair share," mirrors its approach to Ukraine, where military aid was withheld for political favors.These actions are not anomalies but part of a historical pattern. The United States has repeatedly discarded its allies: South Vietnam in 1975, Kurds in Syria in 2019 and Afghanistan in 2021. As former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has cynically noted, "America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests."Japan's Nippon Steel CEO Eiji Hashimoto attends a press conference in Tokyo, Japan, Jan. 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)MYTH OF "BALANCING"Mariana Mazzucato, professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value at University College London, warned that American protectionism could both incite economic instability abroad and shrink the U.S. economic leadership capacity. This trend is accelerating the erosion of U.S. credibility. Stephen Walt, professor of international affairs at Harvard Kennedy School, discussed whether U.S. leaders are shooting the country in the foot, as these once reliably pro-American countries start distancing themselves and looking for new markets and possibly new friends.By weaponizing its alliance and partnership network against rivals, sabotaging economic ties and hollowing out security guarantees, the United States has turned "America First" into "America Alone." For Asian countries, the lesson is clear: reliance on a self-serving hegemon only leads to exploitation.As the tides of history shift, only those who adapt can avoid being drained by a declining empire. The path forward lies not in nostalgic loyalty to Washington's whims but in multilateralism.A proverb advises, "When the wind of change blows, some build walls, while others build windmills." Asia's future depends on choosing wisely.Editor's note: Gong Rong is an international affairs observer.The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Xinhua News Agency.