Asia is not "taking a stand", that's quite the spin on reality. It was never economically profitable, and they tightened import controls as a pawn in the current trade war.
Well yes, that may have been part of the calculus for China banning garbage imports. But the resulting unmet demand for garbage dumping then spread to the rest of Asia, and we absolutely are taking a stand on rejecting it for non-trade war reasons. [1]
Coincidently: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/06/90-of-plastic-polluti...
It's not to say that the move will undoubtedly benefit the environment, but we should call a spade a spade.