Regional Institutions, Geopolitics and Economics in the Asia-Pacific Evolving Interests and Strategies Asian Security Studies Series

This volume discusses the relationship between economics, geopolitics and regional institutional growth and development in the Asia-Pacific region.

How do states (re)define their relationships amid the current global power transition? How do rival actors influence the rules and formation of new institutions for their own benefit? What role will institutions take as independent actors in influencing and constraining the behavior of states? Institutional development in Asia is characterized by idiosyncratic and diverse motivations (both material and non-material), a variety of policy strategies (strategic and norm-based), and the looming question of China?s future depth of involvement as its economic position becomes more stable and its confidence in foreign affairs grows. The book reflects the broadening definition of Asia by examining multiple perspectives, including Japan, China, South Korea, the United States, Australia, India, Russia, and Taiwan. In addition to state actors, the contributors address several important regional institutions in development such as the ASEAN (+3, +6, and the East Asian Summit), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), existing security alliances, and other bilateral institutions. Ultimately, this volume describes the unique, slow, and diverse growth of a multitude of regional institutions, the complexities of generating cooperation, membership concerns, and competition between states and with existing institutions in the context of China?s increasing confidence and strength.

This book will be of much interest to students of Asian politics, regional security, international organizations, and foreign policy.

1. Introduction, Steven B. Rothman and Utpal Vyas with Yoichiro Sato

2. China and IR: geopolitical implications for Northeast Asia, Christopher R. Robichaud

3. In pursuit of an Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank: the politics and geopolitics of a Chinese bank, Alice D. Ba

4. China’s financial power in Asia: strategic implications of RMB internationalization for regional relations, Utpal Vyas

5. From Pan-Asianism to Act East: India’s evolving perspectives and roles in East Asian regional institutions, Vindu Mai Chotani

6. Taiwan’s inconsistent involvement in China’s maritime disputes under the "One China" institution, Ching-Chang Chen

7. The Japan-China gentlemen's agreement over the Senkaku Islands, Yoshinori Kaseda

8. Effects of Japanese security considerations on ASEAN+3 and the East Asia Summit, Charly von Solms

9. Realist objectives, liberal means: Japan, China, and maritime security in Southeast Asia, Hidetaka Yoshimatsu and Dennis D. Trinidad

10. The South China Sea conflict, the regional geo-economic order, and ASEAN’s institutions, Kheng Swe Lim

11. Russia’s institutional engagement with the Asia-Pacific: getting more Asian and less Pacific, Artyom Lukin

12. The Indian Ocean matters for East Asia: emerging Indo-Pacific interests in East-Asian affairs, Michael R. Porter

13. Conclusions: interests and strategies in Asian regional institutional development, Steven B. Rothman

Steven B. Rothman is Associate Professor of International Relations and Peace Studies at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan.

Utpal Vyas is Associate Professor of International Relations and Peace Studies at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan.

Yoichiro Sato is Professor of International Relations and Peace Studies at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan.