Asia's Quest for Balance

This book is designed examine the changing security landscape across the Indo-Pacific as it relates to China’s rise and the growing attractiveness of Balancing policies and postures among several Asian capitals and the United States.
Amid a period of heightened Chinese assertiveness, beginning in 2008 and accelerating during the tenure of President Xi Jinping, a growing number of regional countries are questioning the effectiveness of longstanding Engagement-first policies toward China and adopting more overt Internal (domestic military capacity building) and External (developing closer security ties with the United States and other Asian “middle powers”) Balancing postures. This is creating new opportunities for strategic collaboration among the United States and India, Australia, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Burma and others.
Each chapter will examine regional perspectives on the Balancing phenomenon and recent trends in relations with China; examine how to promote more effective cooperation and coordination among China’s neighbors and the U.S.; assess the costs, benefits, feasibility, and implications of different Balancing initiatives and cooperation mechanisms; identify the issues most likely to shape regional attitudes on Balancing in the future; and assess the opportunities and need for new and/or improved regional security mechanisms, among other things.
Contributions by Jay L Batongbacal, Elliot Brennan, Tetsuo Kotani, Evan A. Laksmana, Joseph Chinyong Liow, Hunter Marston, Rory Medcalf, Sylvia Mishra, C. Raja Mohan, Prashanth Parameswaran, Jeff M. Smith, Tran Truong Thuy, and Ha Anh Tuan