""The Soviets and the Pacific challenge" examines the process of reform in the Soviet Union and its effect on relations between the Soviet Union and Pacific economies. It covers the present character of relations between the Soviet Union and major Asia-Pacific countries, and what inhibitions there are, or possibilities there may be, for future economic development. Written by leading specialists from the Soviet Union, Japan, South Korea, China, Europe and Australia, the book will be welcomed by readers interested in the regional policy implications of political transformation in the Soviet Union. The volume points to the way ahead for the integration of the Soviet Union, and in particular the Soviet Far East, into the Asia-Pacific economy and addresses measures to expand economic cooperation for the benefit of regional countries ..." -- Back covers.

Reshaping Regional Relations summarizes the cause and consequences of changes in Asia-Pacific region. It introduces the lead player in regional change and outlines strategic, military, political and economical issues that constitute the regional agenda in the 1990s.

The nations of the Pacific Basin - in East and Southeast Asia, Australasia, the Pacific islands and the Americas - make up the world's largest economic zone, and its most culturally diverse region. In recent years its Asian 'Tiger Economies' have suffered economic collapse and unfinished business from the Cold War has produced continuing conflict and instability. The new edition of this pioneering book traces the postwar inter-relationships of all the rim and island nations. It gives a unique impression of the make-up of the region, and the tensions within it. The book integrates a wide range of information from books and articles; from published and unpublished sources, including recently opened Russian and American archives; and from the first-hand experiences of participants, including those of the author, in Pacific Basin affairs. Vigorously written and strongly argued, no other account brings together all the threads of the development of international relations in this complex and fascinating region.

This major study assesses prospects for economic recovery in the Russian Far East, evaluating foreign trade and investment, political and economic forces, patterns of resource supply and needs in Pacific Asia, and potential competitors. It concludes that this unfulfilled potential has as much to do with conditions in Russia as the downturn caused by the Asian crisis.

Drawing on the most up-to-date sources, this book provides an in-depth examination of Russia’s relations with China and Japan, the two Asia-Pacific superpowers-in-waiting. For Russia there has always been more than one ‘Asia’: after the collapse of the Soviet Union, there were those in the Russian elite who saw Asia as implying the economic dynamism of the Asia-Pacific, with Japan as the main player. However there were others who saw the chance for Russia to reassert its claim to be a great power, based on Russia’s geopolitical and geoeconomic position as a Eurasian power. For these, China was the power to engage with: together China and Russia could control both Heartland and Rim, both Eurasia and Asia-Pacific, whereas accepting Japan’s conception of Asia implied regional fragmentation and shared sovereignty. This book argues that this strand of thinking, mainly confined to nationalists in the El’tsin years, has now, under Putin, become the dominant discourse among Russian policymakers. Despite opportunities for convergence presented by energy resources, even for trilateral cooperation, traditional anxiety regarding loss of control over key resource areas in the Russian Far East is now used to inform regional policy, leading to a new resource nationalism. In light of Russia’s new assertiveness in global affairs and its increasing use of the so-called ‘energy weapon’ in foreign policy, this book will appeal not only to specialists on Russian politics and foreign policy, but also to international relations scholars.