The leadership of Donald Trump has been identified as a critical weakness in America’s projection of power as the world grapples with China’s rise and the president prepares to engage with North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un in negotiations designed to avert a potential nuclear war.

According to the most comprehensive study of national power in Asia, the Lowy Institute’s Asia Power Index, though the United States remains the most powerful actor in the region, Mr Trump’s leadership is viewed as the 13th most effective in the region, alongside Hun Sen of Cambodia, who has led his nation towards dictatorship.

The finding suggests that Donald Trump is “ill equipped for the long term power competition" with Xi Jinping. Credit:AP

The Asia Power Index measures a nation’s power by 114 indicators, 12 of which - including the measurement of political leadership - are qualitative. Hundreds of analysts across the region were surveyed to ask how effective they believed each nation’s head of government was at acting in their nation’s interest.

China’s leader Xi Jinping was ranked first, followed by the leaders of Japan and Singapore. Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership was ranked sixth. Even President Kim, ranked ninth, was judged to be more effective at prosecuting North Korea’s interests, than Mr Trump.