Recentering Pacific Asia: Regional China and World Order

China has returned to its position as the center of the Pacific Rim of Asia, and its global outlook is shaped by its regional experience. As a global competitor, China has awakened American anxieties and the US-China rivalry has become a major concern for the rest of the world. However, the US and China are primary nodes in a multi-layered, interconnected global matrix that neither can control. Pacific Asia is now the key venue for working out a new world order.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 300 pages
Publication date: 17 August 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The Pacific Rim of Asia, also known as Pacific Asia, has emerged as the world's largest and most cohesive economic region, with China assuming a central position once again. China's global outlook is intricately shaped by its regional experiences, spanning from its pre-modern Asian centrality to its displacement by Western-oriented modernization and its current resurgence as a key producer and market within a globalized context. The developments since 2008 have been remarkable, rendering the future uncertain. Nonetheless, China's substantial presence, population, and production ensure its pivotal role as a global competitor.

China's rise has sparked concerns among American policymakers and has intensified the US-China rivalry, which has become a major concern for the rest of the world. However, it is important to recognize that the US and China are not facing a traditional power transition but rather are primary nodes in a complex and interconnected global matrix that neither can fully control. This dynamic has led some scholars, such as Brantly Womack, to argue that Pacific Asia holds the potential to be a key venue for shaping a new world order.

In conclusion, the Pacific Rim of Asia, with China at its center, has undergone significant economic and geopolitical transformations. China's global outlook is shaped by its regional experiences, and its presence, population, and production guarantee it a key role in the global landscape. While the US-China rivalry continues to be a concern, it is important to understand that the two countries are part of a multi-layered and interconnected global system that defies traditional power dynamics. As such, Pacific Asia holds the potential to be a forum for addressing global challenges and shaping a new world order.

ISBN-13: 9781009393836