Well, they sure as hell aren't going to trust the Japanese. Or the Chinese.
I think the big mistake was 78’. Carter’s recognition of China. The US didn’t need the Chicoms. The Philippines could have been the first Asian tiger. People are hard working, religious, like Americans and speak english. They would not have worked as cheap as the Chinese but they would not be causing the trouble the Chinese are formenting in the region. Blame the deep state.