is due to the rise of China. China is asserting its dominance over the low- or middle-income countries with the help of China’s Debt Trap Diplomacy. Sri Lanka can be seen as a recent victim of this policy of China. Sri Lanka was forced to hand over control of the Hambantota Port project to China for 99 years as it owed massive debt to Beijing. This allowed China control over a key port positioned at the doorstep of its regional rival India, and a strategic foothold along a key commercial and military waterway. In exchange for relief, China constructed its first military base in Djibouti. Whereas Angola is replaying multibillion-dollar debt to China with crude oil, creating major problems for its economy. I do not think US is able to assert its dominance like it used to do it earlier. The US President called Pakistan one of the most dangerous nations of the world as the country has nuclear weapons without any cohesion and still, they are keen to provide USD 450 million F-16 sustainment package to Pakistan despite India’s objections. US warned India for buying gas from Russia so that it would not undo the sanctions, despite US warnings India bought the gas from Russia. US refused to deploy military in Ukraine after Russia’s invasion but US President said US forces would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese Invasion. The National Defence Strategy (NDS), released on Thursday, said the People’s Republic of China (PRC) remains the United States’ most “consequential strategic competitor for the coming decades”.