Asia's New Battlefield: The USA, China and the Struggle for the Western PacificThis compact, insightful book offers an up-to-the-minute guide to understanding the evolution of maritime territorial disputes in East Asia, exploring their legal, political-security and economic dimensions against the backdrop of a brewing Sino-American rivalry for hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region. It traces the decades-long evolution of Sino-American relations in Asia, and how this pivotal relationship has been central to prosperity and stability in one of the most dynamics regions of the world. It also looks at how middle powers – from Japan and Australia to India and South Korea – have joined the fray, trying to shape the trajectory of the territorial disputes in the Western Pacific, which can, in turn, alter the future of Asia – and ignite an international war that could re-configure the global order. The book examines how the maritime disputes have become a litmus test of China's rise, whether it has and will be peaceful or not, and how smaller powers such as Vietnam and the Philippines have been resisting Beijing's territorial ambitions. Drawing on extensive discussions and interviews with experts and policy-makers across the Asia-Pacific region, the book highlights the growing geopolitical significance of the East and South China Sea disputes to the future of Asia – providing insights into how the so-called Pacific century will shape up. |
Contents
1 | |
17 | |
2 The Revenge of History | 52 |
From the Motherland to the Blue Soil | 88 |
The Tragedy of SmallPower Politics | 143 |
A Game of Thrones | 204 |
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Asia's New Battlefield: The USA, China and the Struggle for the Western Pacific Richard Javad Heydarian No preview available - 2015 |
Common terms and phrases
activities administration Affairs agreement allies American armed ASEAN Asia Asian assertiveness Bank Beijing bilateral billion cent century challenge Chinese claims commitment concerns confrontation contested continue cooperation countries country’s decades decision defence diplomatic disputes domestic dominance early East Asia economic efforts emerging engagement especially establishment exercises explains Filipino forces foreign policy global greater groups growing hand historical important increased increasingly India Indonesia initiatives institutions integration interests investment islands issues Japan Japanese Korea largely late leaders leadership leading maintain major managed March maritime markets meeting military nature naval negotiations neighbours nuclear Obama officials Pacific particularly parties Philippines political position president pushed recent reforms regional relations rising role served Shoal sought South China Sea South Korea strategic Taiwan tensions territorial threat trade United University Vietnam Washington waters western