Asia’s Economic and Political Security in a Shifting Global Order

The global order that has thus far shaped relationships between the United States and Asia, and underpinned Asia’s prosperity and security, is under pressure in a world in which the structure of global power has changed dramatically. The change has significantly been driven by the success of that order, with the recovery of Europe after World War II and the economic transformation of Asia, and China, as major centres of global economic power. The rise of China, with its now considerable economic and political heft, is no longer seen within the US as a cause for celebration but of deepening disquiet. These pressures have been intensified sharply by the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on great power tensions and the global economy. This chapter traces the genesis and evolution of the present global order, how it managed the interplay between economics and security, and the imp