Moving beyond Bipolarity? Regional Responses to US-China Competition in East Asia

More than any other region, East Asia has become the centre of gravity for strategic competition between the United States and China. While analysts across the globe are closely following the US-China bilateral relationship, the question of how other actors in the region are responding to this rivalry is often treated as peripheral. Yet, as Beijing and Washington compete for influence, players like South Korea, Japan, ASEAN countries as well as the European Union are not mere bystanders. Instead, they are similarly seeking to safeguard their interests and to set the regional agenda accordingly. How are different players in East Asia navigating an increasingly unpredictable security environment? What are their expectations for the future as the incoming Biden administration seeks to restore the “US historic partnerships” in the region? Can ASEAN maintain its self-perceived “centrality” to regional order in East Asia? CSDS organised a conversation with Lynn Kuok, Ramon Pacheco Pardo, Eva Pesjova and Michael Reiterer on this timely subject!

The event took place online, please find the recording below: