The East Asian Peace and The Pax Americana: Challenges for The Co-Existence of Two Peaces

Abstract

Since 1979 when China waged a short but devastating war with Vietnam, East Asia has been free of large-scale armed conflicts due mostly to the development of the “East Asian Way of Conflict Management.” China has contributed a great deal to this East Asian Way through its experience in handling conflicts on its periphery as a disputant or a mediator. As a result, what may be called a Pax Sinica seems to be emanating from China. On the other hand, after more than 30 years of relatively weak presence, the United States has been politically and militarily returning to East Asia since the inauguration of the Obama Administration. China and the U. S. seems to be contending with each other over influence in East Asia, but prospects are that the U.S. eventually withdraw to the Second Islands Chain, leaving East Asia and a large part of Eurasia under the Pax Sinica. The paper also looks at the challenges and dilemmas that other East Asian countries face in the process, mostly focusing on Japan.

Keywords

East Asian Peace, Pax Americana, The Rise of China, Pax Sinica, Conflict Management, Offshore Balancing

Citation

Oishi, Mikio and Fumitaka Furuoka, “The East Asian Peace and The Pax Americana: Challenges for The Co-Existence of Two Peaces”, International Relations, Volume 10, No 37 (Spring 2013), p. 95-116.

Affiliations

• Mikio OISHI, University Brunei, Academy of Brunei Studies and Institute of Asian Studies, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link Gadong, Brunei Darussalam
• Fumitaka FURUOKA, University of Malaya, Asia-Europe Institute, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia