Robin Hu

Asian Angle | 6 reasons the Indo-Pacific became a battleground for US-China influence

Discover the key factors driving this shift, the role India plays, and the potential that it holds for Southeast Asia

Reading Time:6 minutes

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Robin Hu

Published: 10:00am, 2 Nov 2024

Asia is currently experiencing significant geopolitical shifts, driven by a confluence of interrelated forces. The term “Indo-Pacific” has increasingly supplanted “Asia-Pacific” in strategic discussions, reflecting a broader geopolitical scope that encompasses both the Indian and Pacific Oceans. This shift highlights the interconnectedness of security, economics, and politics across these areas.

This article presents six observations on why the Indo-Pacific is becoming the next battleground for primacy and prosperity.

1. Asian Century vs diversity

The idea of an “Asian Century” is one that Deng Xiaoping himself approached with scepticism. Proponents of the concept often cite the historical dominance of China and India in the global economy and the rising dysfunction of Western politics, which has created a leadership vacuum that they say Asia is destined to fill.

China has emerged as a power in manufacturing, technology, and inexpensive loans, inspired by the growth of the “Asian Tigers”, and rousing the dynamism of India and Southeast Asia. But Asia is too diverse to be treated singularly. Economic growth has too often been confined to urban coastal areas and remains tempered by widespread population ageing, worsening climate risks, and formidable frugality.

Since the rise of the Asian Tigers, no nation in Asia has overcome the middle-income trap, unlike some 20 other mid-sized countries, such as Poland, Chile, and Estonia. And for all of Asia’s dominance in global trade, it often relies on Western markets for final demand.

Asia’s influence will not keep pace with its economic growth to the same degree as the West, because Asia is a contrived geographical agglomeration, glossing over irreconcilable differences not seen in the West. This diversity is both a strength and a challenge. When harnessed effectively, it can be a source of creativity, economic synergy, and cultural richness, giving Asia a competitive edge.