Future of Pacific Asia

Steve Chan is College Professor of Distinction (Emeritus) at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He has published twenty-eight books and over two hundred journal articles and book chapters.Weixing Hu is UM Development Foundation Distinguished Professor and Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Macau. Before joining UM in 2019, he was Professor and Head of Department of Politics and Public Administration at the University of Hong Kong.

• 1. Introduction: Our Concepts, Arguments, and Rationale for Studying Pacific Asia’s Future 2. Differentiating Peace and Debunking Popular Narratives on Deteriorating Sino-American Relations 3. China’s Operational Code and Its Policy Adaptations in Coping with the Incomparable United States 4. Other Pacific Asian Countries’ Conduct and Strategy 5. Conclusion: Catching a Glimpse of Pacific Asia’s Future and Our Quarrels with the Prevailing Discourse

“Pacific Asia is a paradoxical region, simultaneously the world's most vibrant economic powerhouse and home to some of its most acute security flashpoints. Steven Chan and Weixing Hu's book arrives at a propitious moment, adeptly capturing this intricate dichotomy. It ventures boldly into the future, attempting to foresee the trends and events that will shape Pacific Asia over the next quarter-century. The authors' long-standing and in-depth engagement with the region's convoluted developments endows them with a unique vantage point. Their expertise makes them eminently qualified to undertake this challenging prediction. Despite the veil of uncertainty that shrouds Pacific Asia's future, the book brims with incisive insights. These demand a thorough, attentive read, as they offer invaluable perspectives on this pivotal part of the world.” Qingguo Jia, Professor and former Dean of School of International Studies, Peking University“The Future of Pacific Asia is an innovative and important book. The region’s future stability and prosperity face challenges from Sino-American power shift, Sino-Japanese animosity, and the transformation of regional order. In this book, Chan and Hu offer a sophisticated account of structural and ideational variables shaping the future of Pacific Asia circa 2050. It is timely and a must-read for understanding the region’s future.” Cheng Li, Professor and Founding Director of Centre on Contemporary China and the World, University of Hong Kong“The old order for Pacific Asia is unravelling. The transformation of the world’s center of economic, political, and military gravity and rising geopolitical rivalry are converging to augur a more uncertain and perhaps tumultuous Pacific Asia. Chan and Hu’s book provides a thought-provoking and nuanced understanding of future trends of regional international relations. It is a welcome and significant contribution to the study of Pacific Asia.”Mingjiang Li, Associate Dean (Academic Affairs) and Provost's Chair in International Relations, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University“The future of Pacific Asia is central to global peace and prosperity in the twenty-first century. In this timely and perceptive book, two leading scholars illuminate how the region’s great and middle powers are likely to interact, as old norms erode and new rivalries intensify. The authors’ analysis leads to sobering warnings about the strategic uncertainties ahead. The book is a timely wake-up call for scholars and policymakers alike.”Quan Li, Visiting Fellow, the Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance, Princeton University, and Sara H. Lindsey Chair in the George Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University“As Pacific Asia becomes the world’s strategic center, Chan and Hu challenge alarmist narratives, showing why peace has endured, why uncertainty is rising, and why a new grand bargain is essential —a sharp and powerful read.”Xiaoyu Pu, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Nevada, Reno