ABSTRACT
Earlier chapters in this book have focused on the components and the dynamics of the Asia-Pacific region. This chapter introduces you to a rather different perspective: that of the concerned outsider in the global economy and the world political-security arena. Because of the growth and dynamism of the Asia-Pacific region it is impossible for outsiders to ignore it, whether they see it as a threat or an opportunity. The Asia-Pacific has become a source and a target for trade investment and global competition; it has also become a focus of many of the diverse tensions and risks characterizing the post-Cold War era.
