ABSTRACT

The transfer of power from West to East is gathering pace and soon will dramatically change the context for dealing with international challenges as well as the challenges themselves. Taiwan, under its current president, seems to be creeping toward outright independence, whereas mainland China continues to seek its isolation and to threaten it by positioning some 500 missiles across the Taiwan Strait. Asia's rise is just beginning, and if the big regional powers can remain stable while improving their policies, rapid growth could continue for decades. At the international level, Asia's rising powers must be given more representation in key institutions, starting with the United Nation Security Council. This important body should reflect the emerging configuration of global power, not just the victors of World War II. To accommodate the great power shift now rapidly occurring in Asia, the United States needs vigorous preparation by its executive branch and Congress.