Interesting in that he's being allowed to essentially completely abandon the post WW2 international law order and institutions the west has used to get their way under the guise of impartiality. He's instead just saying why pay all this money, just use sanctions, and threats of invasion and violence and our hegemony over the international finance system to get our way instead directly without the pretenses and annoying mediating layers.
And it is paying some results. Panama has bowed, left the belt and road, is going to be subject to further pressure probably to annul or modify their agreements with China on ownership of the two ports and the overpass they're constructing (wouldn't be surprised the US forces them to seize such property in future and deny China any benefit from it, theft is their MO).
These are dangerous times filled with opportunity and risk.