The wider Eastern Asian region has been one of the economically most vibrant and successful geographic areas of the world recently, but at the same time still faces major political challenges. The objective here is to probe and explore how the changing regional dynamics are reshaping the political landscape in a rising Asia.

An Asia-Pacific Century?

The observation of a rising Asia and of rapidly growing economic powerhouses in the region has become a truism. Nonetheless, the impressive economic development stories in the region provide the backbone for the growing political strength and assertiveness of Asian countries. Asia's economic prowess is rapidly being transferred onto the diplomatic stage. It is at this interface of rising Asia and Asian foreign policy dynamics that this collection of essays makes its contribution. By examining emerging regional political dynamics, the authors add diplomatic and foreign policy facets to the broad discourse on the implications of the rise of Asia. In other words, the objective here is to further our understanding of changing international dynamics, adjustments in foreign policy strategies and the evolution of diplomacy in the context of the economically and politically dynamic region of Asia.

The end of the Cold War did not produce a ‘New World Order’ (Bush 1990) akin to the post-war settlements in 1945, 1919, or 1815. Even the ‘unipolar moment’ (Krauthammer 1991) lasted only briefly. And in 2008, the liberal economic ‘Washington Consensus’ was crippled by the financial meltdown and the ensuing global economic crises. The recent rise of Asia, however, is persisting, and with it comes the argument that this will challenge post- Cold War international politics at all levels of analysis. It is in particular the rise of China – economically, politically, militarily and, increasingly, culturally – that has caused politicians to reconsider their strategies and scholars to question their assumptions.

Given China's recent economic development, coupled with its prominence and importance in Asia, the attention it has been receiving is hardly surprising. However, this edited volume offers a wider angle, one that looks at Asia, not just China. The purpose is threefold: First, it would simply be misleading to suggest that what is happening in Asia is merely the rapid growth of only one national economy. Second, it is suggested that only a wider regional perspective can properly account for the complexities at play.