Anwara Begum
Dr Anwara Begum is Professor of Political Science at the Chittagong University, Chittagong, Bangladesh Regional Studies, 38:4, Winter 2020
DOI: http://DOI Number
Keywords: Indo-Pacific, global transformation, off-shore balancing, Sino-US relations, trade war, China containment, US decline
Abstract
This paper explores the underlying nuances of the Indo-Pacific strategy with special reference to four participant countries, i.e., Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. It uncovers the reasons for the aforementioned countries’ involvement in the formulation and implementation of the strategy. In doing so, an added aim of the paper is to highlight the underlying contradictions within the policy. The paper also sheds light on the current status of the policy and the potential that it possesses, given the interests and institutional frameworks for decision-making within the aforesaid states. Additionally, the paper looks into frequent mutations that the policy has undergone, which result in difficulties for the participants considering the economic and political transformations taking place in the world signified by the rise of China. Lastly, the paper argues the impact of Donald Trump’s policies and public statements on the overall outlook of the Indo-Pacific as a containment policy; a reflection of elite consensus. This consensus did alter, to some extent, before the 2020 elections in the United States. The paper concludes with a debate on the potential alterations in the policy under the Biden administration.
First Published
December 25, 2020
How to Cite
Anwara Begum, “Indo-Pacific: A Balancing Mechanism in Mutation?” Regional Studies 38, no.4 (Winter 2020): 3-42, https://regionalstudies.com.pk/wp/article/indo-pacific-a-balancing-mechanism-in-mutation/
Issue
Volume 38, Issue 4