Doubts about US conduct spreading quickly in Asia: media

HONG KONG - Doubts about the United States' conduct are spreading rapidly in Asia despite Western media's relentless hype of "China's increasing assertiveness," an opinion article in the South China Morning Post said Tuesday.

Former Singapore Ambassador to the United States Chan Heng Chee once pointed out that the United States "had often been a force for good in Asia." However, "that asset, with the current relentless demonization of China, is being downsized," said Tom Plate, the author of the opinion piece and a professor at Loyola Marymount University in California.

"Many in the intelligentsia in Southeast Asia view Washington's propaganda strategy as a losing game," Plate said.

US politicians, from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Senator Ted Cruz, cannot say enough bad things about Chinese governance, Plate said, adding that Washington is ready to pounce on anything it believes that makes Beijing look bad.