It can be said that the fault lines of global security have begun to pass through the Asia-Pacific Region and the international political axis is shifting towards this region. The main security dynamics of the global system are now read through Asia-Pacific and comments on the future are made.
As a matter of fact, the region in question is home to many critical problems and globally important actors. Because the bilateral problems between the states in the Asia-Pacific arouse a lot of repercussions on a global scale as well as regionally. By reason of the problems between the actors in the region in question both create regional crises and attract attention from a global perspective. In this context, it can be argued that the Taiwan issue is the first thing that comes to mind in this situation.
China is also a state that advocates multipolarity against the United States of America (USA) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and thus against Western hegemony. After the global economic crisis that started in 2008[1], China surpassed Japan in 2010[2] to become the second largest economy in the world after the USA[3]. With these developments, Beijing has risen to the top of the global supply chain.[4] This reveals the importance of China in terms of the global system.
On the other hand, there is the South China Sea problem. As a matter of fact, stakeholder states in China and the South China Sea cannot reach an agreement on this region. Beijing has some claims about the sea in question. Through a system called the Nine-Dash Line[5], China states that it has certain rights over this sea. However, states such as Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan, Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia also assert their own claims. This is why there are problems in the South China Sea. In the context of this problem, although calls are made within the framework of compliance with international maritime law, the tension in this region does not decrease and the stress does not decrease.
The Taiwan problem and the South China Sea problems increase the global interest in the region. Moreover, considering that China is also a party to these problems, it can be argued that Beijing has a significant place in the Asia-Pacific Region being a region where the basic building blocks of the international system and basic security approaches can be perceived.
In addition to all these, the global struggle with China is the basis of the US and NATO’s interest in the region. Because Washington is developing alliances with many countries in the region. In this context, the most prominent states are; Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, Vietnam, Japan and the Philippines.
Moreover, the United States also implements many military cooperation in the region. The ANZUS Agreement[6], which was created in 1951 with the cooperation of Australia, USA and New Zealand; The Quadruple Security Dialogue (QUAD)[7], implemented with the cooperation of India, Japan, USA and Australia, and the AUKUS Pact[8], established with the partnership of the UK, USA and Australia, are concrete examples of these partnerships.
The current conjuncture of the Asia-Pacific Region and its geopolitical position in the global system are now being read through the rise of China.In this context, China’s increasing regional and global activities are challenging the West’s unipolar world understanding.
Once for all, China has the power and capacity to radically change not only Asia-Pacific geopolitics but also global geopolitics.
[1] “As PacWest Shares Dive, Are We Seeing the 2008 Financial Crisis All over Again?”, Cable News Network, https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/11/business/2008-banking-crisis-comparison/index.html, (Date of Accession: 06.06.2023).
[2] “China Overtakes Japan as World’s Second-Biggest Economy”, British Broadcasting Corporation News, https://www.bbc.com/news/business-12427321, (Date of Accession: 06.06.2023).
[3] “The World’s Largest Economies”, World Data Info, https://www.worlddata.info/largest-economies.php, (Date of Accession: 06.06.2023).
[4] “China’s Dominance in Global Supply Chains”, GMF US Org, https://www.gmfus.org/news/chinas-dominance-global-supply-chains, (Date of Accession: 01.06.2023).
[5] “Just Where Exactly Did China Get the South China Sea Nine-Dash Line From?” The Time, https://time.com/4412191/nine-dash-line-9-south-china-sea/, (Date of Accession: 01.06.2023).
[6] “The United States and Australia: A Vital Partnership fot he Indo-Pacific Region and the World”, U.S. Department of State, https://www.state.gov/the-united-states-and-australia-a-vital-partnership-for-the-indo-pacific-region-and-the-world/, Date of Accession: 25.05.2023).
[7] “No Plans to Add New members to Quad Grouping Now: White House”, The Times of India, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/no-plans-to-add-new-members-to-quad-grouping-now-white-house/articleshow/99924649.cms?from=mdr, (Date of Accession: 25.05.2023).
[8] “AUKUS Deal: United States, United Kingdom and Australia Agree on Nuclear Submarine Project”, British Broadcasting News, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-64945819, (Date of Accession: 25.05.2023).
