ABSTRACT
Readers of the preceding chapters should be in no doubt that what is happening in the Asia-Pacific is of far-reaching importance. What is somewhat less clear is the nature of the challenge posed by these devel-opments, both to the third of humankind that lives in the region, and to the wider world. In this final chapter I will address three aspects of the Asian-Pacific challenge. First, I will ask whether the internal forces that led to the rise of the Asia-Pacific are likely to continue. Second, I will assess whether it makes much sense to talk of a single challenge from a region as diverse as the Asia-Pacific. Finally, I will analyse the extent to which the challenges in the region are leading to a restructuring of international relations both within the region and beyond.
