Introduction

The legacy of Western colonialism and imperialism shaped many aspects of the countries of the region, but what accounted for the emergence of the Asia-Pacific as a recognizable region in international politics was postcolonial modernization. Regional developments have been shaped largely by the three great powers: The United States, China and Japan. The economic disparities of the region would loom even larger if Japan were to be compared with Vietnam or Burma/Myanmar. The region benefited from the rise of India and the continuing interdependencies associated with the chains of production increasingly focused on East Asia. Two main related developments since the beginning of the 21st century have changed the character of the region. The first, has been the rapid economic development of China, which has become an economic power of global significance. The second, has been America’s relative decline. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book.