Yes, it is problematic if that's just another way to say Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere," as Green notes.
But for now the awareness of a shared destiny increasingly seems to mean Asia-Pacific countries cooperating with America in opposition to China's expansive aims to control the region:
The world has been transfixed by the massive anti-China protests which have shaken Hong Kong in recent months. As dramatic as these are, however, they are simply at the frontier of a regionwide backlash against China's apparent bid for hegemony.
A growing number of Southeast Asian nations are questioning their governments' cozy relations with China. Beijing's time-tested strategy of co-opting elites -- charming or purchasing the loyalty of domestic elites across partner nations through massive economic deals -- seems more fragile. ...
Far from an inevitable march toward Chinese hegemony, what we are instead witnessing is growing reassertion of autonomy and collective dignity among Beijing's near neighbors. The Hong Kong protests are only the most dramatic manifestation of the widening anti-China backlash.
And as I've written, if we want to knit together all those countries that would like to oppose China, we need to maintain sufficient military strength in INDOPACOM.
The shared destiny may be stopping China's ambitions to control the region. Or perhaps more to the point right now, stopping the Chinese Communist Party (tip to Instapundit).
UPDATE: Related thoughts:
China traditionally recognizes only enemies and subordinate foreigners. China does not do allies.
A distant America that does do allies is preferable to a close China that doesn't do allies. As long as those neighbors of China know that resistance to China's "shared destiny" isn't futile, of course.
