China and East Asia's Post-Crises Community: A Region in Flux, by Wei Liang and Faizullah Khilji, explores how an East Asian community is taking shape as a result of China's emergence as a global economic power and the shocks of the financial crises emanating from the globalized financial system. From a security oriented US-centric regional structure characterized as the hub and spokes system set up after the Second World War, this region is now more nearly an informal economic community, which increasingly appears to be China-centric. This book presents one of the first attempts to weave together different strands of the current discussion to develop a framework for understanding a rapidly evolving East Asia region.

This book examines the need for greater East Asian cooperation and the challenges to this grand endeavor. With differing national outlooks, how can East Asia preserve peace, prosperity and stability amidst geopolitical competition? To answer this question, the volume examines the political and economic relations between Beijing and its neighbors against the backdrop of two trends: the power shift from the West to the East in the aftermath of the American Financial Crisis and the ongoing eurozone crisis, as well as the rise of China.

Two Crises, Different Outcomes examines East Asian policy reactions to the two major crises of the last fifteen years: the global financial crisis of 2008–9 and the Asian financial crisis of 1997–98. The calamity of the late 1990s saw a massive meltdown concentrated in East Asia. In stark contrast, East Asia avoided the worst effects of the Lehman Brothers collapse, incurring relatively little damage when compared to the financial devastation unleashed on North America and Europe. Much had changed across the intervening decade, not least that China rather than Japan had become the locomotive of regional growth, and that the East Asian economies had taken numerous steps to buffer their financial structures and regulatory regimes. This time Asia avoided disaster; it bounced back quickly after the initial hit and has been growing in a resilient fashion ever since. The authors of this book explain how the earlier financial crisis affected Asian economies, why government reactions differed so widely during that crisis, and how Asian economies weathered the Great Recession. Drawing on a mixture of single-country expertise and comparative analysis, they conclude by assessing the long-term prospects that Asian countries will continue their recent success.

China and East Asian Strategic Dynamics: the Shaping of a New Regional Order, edited by Mingjiang Li and Dongmin Lee, examines how China's remarkable economic growth and its proactive diplomatic efforts in recent years have not only shored up its importance in global issues, but also induced a transformation of the strategic dynamics in East Asia. The authors argue that major power relations in the region appear to be driven by some new momentum along with the changing international environment. The contributors of this edited volume are well-known scholars in their areas of specialty, and the book is divided into five parts. The first part discusses China's soft and hard power in East Asia. The second examines China and the strategic interactions between major powers; this particular section is devoted to discussion on the strategic responses of the major regional powers_the United States, Japan, Korea, India and ASEAN_to China's rise. Part three focuses on China's strategic approach to East Asian regionalism. Of particular note are China's active leadership role in institution-building efforts, strategic calculations, and preference for an informal approach. The fourth section analyzes the Cross-Taiwan Strait relations and their impact on both China and East Asia. The final section of China and East Asian Strategic Dynamics addresses the issue of China and maritime order in East Asia. China and East Asian Strategic Dynamics: the Shaping of a New Regional Order, edited by Mingjiang Li and Dongmin Lee, is a pioneering work. Given that the rise of China is has been a prominent issue in politics and economics worldwide, this edited collection is essential for a wide audience of policy-makers, academics, and students alike.

The factor that makes some communities rebound quickly from disasters while others fall apart: “A fascinating book on an important topic.”—E.L. Hirsch, in Choice Each year, natural disasters threaten the strength and stability of communities worldwide. Yet responses to the challenges of recovery vary greatly and in ways that aren’t explained by the magnitude of the catastrophe or the amount of aid provided by national governments or the international community. The difference between resilience and disrepair, as Daniel P. Aldrich shows, lies in the depth of communities’ social capital. Building Resilience highlights the critical role of social capital in the ability of a community to withstand disaster and rebuild both the infrastructure and the ties that are at the foundation of any community. Aldrich examines the post-disaster responses of four distinct communities—Tokyo following the 1923 earthquake, Kobe after the 1995 earthquake, Tamil Nadu after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, and New Orleans post-Katrina—and finds that those with robust social networks were better able to coordinate recovery. In addition to quickly disseminating information and financial and physical assistance, communities with an abundance of social capital were able to minimize the migration of people and valuable resources out of the area. With governments increasingly overstretched and natural disasters likely to increase in frequency and intensity, a thorough understanding of what contributes to efficient reconstruction is more important than ever. Building Resilience underscores a critical component of an effective response.

The Research Handbook on Trade Wars presents an informative and in-depth account of the origins, dynamics, and implications of trade wars, which are growing both in scale and scope in today’s increasingly interdependent global economy. Providing the frameworks necessary for understanding the political and economic logics of trade wars, this Handbook will be a valuable source of reference for researchers, government officials, businesses, and post-graduate students interested in international political economy, international economics, economic statecraft, public policy, and international relations.

East Asia is one of the world's most dynamic and diverse regions and is also becoming an increasingly coherent region through the inter-play of various integrative economic, political and socio-cultural processes. Fully updated and revised throughout, this new edition explores the various ways in which East Asian regionalism continues to deepen. The second edition has been expanded to incorporate coverage of significant issues that have emerged in recent years including: Growing tensions in the region over maritime territory and historical issues Competing regional free trade agreement negotiations The impact of the global financial crisis on financial co-operation and engagement with global governance Obama’s ‘pivot to Asia’ and developments in US relations with East Asia The influence of new technology and social media on micro-level regional relations The growing importance of ‘new diplomacy’ issues such as energy security, climate change, food security and international migration. Key pedagogical features include: end of chapter 'study questions' case studies that discuss topical issues with study questions also provided useful tables and figures which illustrate key regional trends in East Asia Extensive summary conclusions covering the chapter's main findings from different international political economy perspectives. East Asian Regionalism is an essential text for courses on East Asian regionalism, Asian politics and Asian economics.

COVID-19 has presented huge challenges to governments, businesses, civil societies, and people from all walks of life, but its impact has been highly variegated, affecting society in multiple negative ways, with uneven geographical and socioeconomic patterns. The crisis revealed existing contradictions and inequalities in society, compelling us to question what it means to return to “normal” and what insights can be gleaned from Southeast Asia for thinking about a post-pandemic world. In this regard, this edited volume collects the informed views of an ensemble of social scientists – area studies, development studies, and legal scholars; anthropologists, architects, economists, geographers, planners, sociologists, and urbanists; representing academic institutions, activist and charitable organisations, policy and research institutes, and areas of professional practice – who recognise the necessity of critical commentary and engaged scholarship. These contributions represent a wide-ranging set of views, collectively producing a compilation of reflections on the following three themes in particular: (1) Urbanisation, digital infrastructures, economies, and the environment; (2) Migrants, (im)mobilities, and borders; and (3) Collective action, communities, and mutual action. Overall, this edited volume first aims to speak from a situated position in relevant debates to challenge knowledge about the pandemic that has assigned selective and inequitable visibility to issues, people, or places, or which through its inferential or interpretive capacity has worked to set social expectations or assign validity to certain interventions with a bearing on the pandemic’s course and the future it has foretold. Second, it aims to advance or renew understandings of social challenges, risks, or inequities that were already in place, and which, without further or better action, are to be features of our “post-pandemic world” as well. This volume also contributes to the ongoing efforts to de-centre and decolonise knowledge production. It endeavours to help secure a place within these debates for a region that was among the first outside of East Asia to be forced to contend with COVID-19 in a substantial way and which has evinced a marked and instructive diversity and dynamism in its fortunes.

This book examines the need for greater East Asian cooperation and the challenges to this grand endeavor. With differing national outlooks, how can East Asia preserve peace, prosperity and stability amidst geopolitical competition? To answer this question, the volume examines the political and economic relations between Beijing and its neighbors against the backdrop of two trends: the power shift from the West to the East in the aftermath of the American Financial Crisis and the ongoing eurozone crisis, as well as the rise of China.

It is interesting to note that after two years of recession in East Asia, almost all the countries in this region are rising again. In the wake of that sudden onslaught on the economies of East Asia, many new questions have come to the fore (and are waiting for the right answers), such as: How could the Asian countries have become so weak as to totally succumb to the financial crisis? What were the real causes of the crisis? What policy measures have the affected countries taken to combat the crisis and how effective have they been? As for the argument of OC hands-off policyOCO versus OC government interventionOCO, which approach was more appropriate for curbing the expansion of the crisis? What are the policy implications of resolving the crisis? Why is East Asia rising again after the two-year recession?. The editors of this volume organized a research team composed of 12 leading economists from the ten East Asian countries: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, mainland China and Japan. One expert from the United States was also invited; he was responsible for making an aggregate analysis of the interdependence of the region in the context of a financial crisis. Two meetings were held OCo the first in April 1999, the second in January 2000. Sample Chapter(s). Chapter 1.1: Introduction (97 KB). Chapter 1.2: the Importance of the Issue: The Financial Crisis in East Asia (86 KB). Chapter 1.3: Various Explanations of the Causes of the Financial Crisis (96 KB). Chapter 1.4: The Impacts of the Financial Crisis in East Asia (204 KB). Chapter 1.5: External Debt and Financial Crisis (124 KB). Chapter 1.6: Corruption and Nepotism Between Officials and Enterprises (143 KB). Chapter 1.7: A Model Used to Explain the Financial Crisis (117 KB). Chapter 1.8: The Role of the Government (89 KB). Chapter 1.9: The Function of the IMF (120 KB). Chapter 1.10: East Asia''s Recovery (84 KB). Chapter 1.11: The Purpose of this Volume (103 KB). Contents: An Overview of the Financial Crisis in East Asia (T-S Yu); Japan: Japan''s Bubble Economy and Asia (H S Lim); China: Financial Crisis and Chinese Economy (D-Q Xu); Korea: Korean Financial Crisis OCo The Crisis of a Development Model? (J Lee); Singapore: Coping with the Asian Financial Crisis OCo The Singapore Experience (K-J Ngiam); Hong Kong: Financial Crisis in the Case of Hong Kong OCo Last In, Last Out? (C Tuan & L F Y Ng); Taiwan: Financial Crisis in East Asia (T-M Huo); Thailand: 1997 Thai Financial Crisis (C Leenabanchong); Malaysia: Financial Crisis in Malaysia (M Ariff & M M-C Yap); Indonesia: Indonesia''s Responses to the Recent Economic Crisis (A Nasution); Philippine: The 1997-1999 Philippine Economic Downturn OCo A Preventable One (E A Tan); Recursive Dynamic CGE Analysis: The Road to Economic Recovery in Asia (Z Wang & D-Q Xu); Conclusion: Lessons and Policy Implications (T-S Yu & D-Q Xu). Readership: Professors and graduate students in economics and economists working in financial institutions such as the World Bank, IMF, ADB and commercial banks."