Wu Xinbo,"On the Major Transformation of the Asia-Pacific Regional Structure," World Economics and Politics, No.6, 2017

【Abstract】Recent years have witnessed significant changes in the Asia-Pacific regional structure featuring the shift in power balanceamong related countries as well as adjustments in their respective regional strategies. So what is the prevailingtrend in this transformation and what kind of regional order will likely emerge in the future? To answer these questions, the paper tries to explore the following dimensions: the evolving regional context, shift in power balance and power converion, geo-political and geo-economic developments and interactions between them, and evolving regional order. As the study shows, the broadening of regional geographical scope, the rise in the number of actors involved, as well as changes in the relations among them, have combined to cast a pluralistic and complex flavor to the regional struture. While the power balance among China, the United States and Japan shifts, and power conversation is also occurring. China and Japan are paying increasing attention to their security roles, whereas the United States under  the Obama administration laid more stress on expanding its geo-economic clout. In spite of the intensifying  geopolitical competition among China, the United States and Japan in recent years, a Sino-US strategic compromise- which hold the key to regional geopolitics- is more likely to take place in the future. On the other front, some kind of geo-economic cooperation will probably emerge. In the longer term, it will be the feo-economic trend that will prevail over the geopolitical trend in the region. Finally, the future evolution of regional order will mainly follow the economic logic, accompanied by thr dilution of its hegemonic and hierarchical nature. Hence, a pluralistic and complex regional community will emerge.

【Key Words】Asia-Pacific reginal order, regioanl community, pluralistic and complex structure, power conversation
【Author】Wu Xinbo, Professor and Director, Center for American Studies, Fudan Univeristy