Harvard ban shows the US is getting it all wrong in Asia

Every strategist knows that wars are not just won by force. Soft power matters, which is why the Donald Trump administration's latest move to bar Harvard University from enrolling international students will resonate so badly across Asia.

- KARISHMA VASWANI

America and China are already locked in a battle for influence — but Washington risks sabotaging those goals. Even before the Harvard controversy emerged Thursday, the US embassy in Singapore posted a video on social media this week likening China's sweeping South China Sea territorial claims to disputes over shared spaces in Singapore's public housing blocks. It did more than just raise eyebrows.

The online clip landed with a thud, touching a national nerve. More than 80 per cent of Singaporeans live in public housing — a highly prized source of social and economic stability, and many voiced their complaints online.

China's embassy responded, accusing the US of distorting the facts and being a "hypocritical preacher," while Singapore said it "rejects attempts by foreign embassies here to incite domestic reactions to international issues involving third countries." The city-state is usually measured in tone, so this public reprimand stood out. While it didn't name either China or the US, the message appeared to be clearly directed at Washington.

Still, America remains a beacon for many in the region, a land of opportunity where young Asians aspire to study, work, and build their futures. But those ambitions are at risk with the Trump administration's latest move, which Harvard has called unlawful. This is hardly the way to win over the next generation, particularly if this extends to more universities.