1st Edition
The Strategic Options of Middle Powers in the Asia-Pacific
This book analyses the responses of middle powers in the Asia-Pacific toward the contemporary great powers’ rivalry of the United States and China, through specific cases studies of South Korea, Australia, Japan, India, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
Presenting local perspectives from multiple middle powers as they face the task of maintaining the international order in light of the recent competition between China and the United States, it further develops theories of foreign policy analyses, forming a systematic framework through initiating crucial concepts, including reluctant hedging, economic statecraft, and strategic position-taking. The contributions also provide an in-depth examination of the contemporary geo-politics of the region, including the impact of both the Trump and Biden administrations, Beijing’s “Wolf Warrior” diplomacy, cross-strait relations with Taiwan, and the influences of Japan, Vietnam, Australia and South Korea, revealing that regional middle powers do indeed exert influence on the direction of regional cooperation in the Asia-Pacific.
Providing comprehensive studies of many regional powers in the Asia-Pacific, this will be a valuable resource for scholars and students of International Politics, Asian Politics, Asian Studies as well as policy makers on Asia-Pacific relations.
List of Contributors
List of Tables
List of Figures
List of Appendices
Acknowledgments
1 Introduction
CHIUNG-CHIU HUANG AND CHIEN-WEN KOU
Part I
Asia-Pacific Middle Powers under the New Format of Great Power Rivalry
2 Asia’s Lesser Powers Confront the U.S.-China Threat to the Regional Order
T. J. PEMPEL
3 Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The Dilemmas of Middle Powers
BRIAN L. JOB
4 Geopolitics of Chinese Outward FDI and Its Implications for Asia-Pacif ic Middle Powers
RAY OU-YANG AND YOONEUI KIM
Part II
New Analytical Concepts and Framework for Middle Powers’ Strategies
5 Middle Power Cooperation 2.0 in the Indo-Pacif ic Era
YOSHIHIDE SOEYA
6 New Economic Statecraft: Industrial Policy in an Era of Strategic Competition
VINOD K. AGGARWAL AND ANDREW W. REDDIE
7 A Reluctant Hedging Policy: South Korea’s Dilemma in an Era of U.S.-China Competition
FLORENCE W. YANG
8 Between a Rock and a Hard Place: How Lesser Powers Respond to Competing Great Powers in the Asia-Pacif ic Region
HSIN-HSIEN WANG, SHINN-SHYR WANG AND WEI-FENG TZENG
Part III
Cases of Asia Pacific Middle Powers in the Era of New Great Power Rivalry
9 China in Australia’s Strategic Policy, 2007-2021: The Diminishing Returns of Hedging in an Era of Great Power Competition?
MICHAEL CLARKE
10 Dancing between Giants: Vietnam’s Position within U.S.-China Strategic Competition
NGUYEN CONG TUNG
11 China, Japan, and Economic Integration in Asia: Asymmetric Threat Perception and FTAs
RUMI AOYAMA
12 Why Hedging Is Not Easily Attainable-Taiwan’s Strategic Policy Options Amidst U.S.-China Competition
GUAN-YI LEU
Index
Biography
Chien-wen Kou is a Distinguished Professor of Political Science and the Director of the Institute of International Relations at National Chengchi University, Taiwan. His research interests include Chinese politics, political elites and comparative communist studies. Recent articles have appeared in China Quarterly, China Journal, and Issues & Studies.
Chiung-Chiu Huang is an Associate Professor at the Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies at National Chengchi University, Taiwan. She is the author of Harmonious Intervention: China’s Quest for Relational Security (2014) and China and International Theory: The Balance of Relationships (Routledge, 2019).
Brian L. Job is Professor Emeritus, Political Science, at the University of British Columbia, Canada. His research interests concern the evolving security order of the Asia Pacific, intrastate conf lict, human security, and Canadian foreign and security policies. Recent articles have appeared in International Affairs, Cambridge Review of International Affairs, International Peacekeeping, and Issues & Studies.
