- Author:
Krzysztof Szumski
- Institution:
retired diplomat, expert on Thailand
- Year of publication:
2019
- Source:
Show
- Pages:
119-152
- DOI Address:
https://doi.org/10.15804/ap201906
- PDF:
ap/22/ap2206.pdf
The rivalry between the United States and China in the Southeast Asia in 2017 and 2018.
The rivalry of great powers between the United States and China embraces all regions of East Asia, including Southeast Asia and the South China Sea. The situation changed and became even more dynamic at the beginning of 2017, with the arrival of Donald Trump, the new American President. Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Trans Pacific Partnership had a significant influence on the situation in Southeast Asia and started a trade war with China as well as a race in the field of new technologies. The Trump Administration also introduced a new strategy of “free and open Indo – Pacific” which shared some basic strategic similarities with its predecessor – the Pivot. Washington has labeled China a strategic rival and a military threat. The American activities are strongly supported by Japan. The Japanese prime minister Shinzō Abe considers supporting Trump’s policy of trade war and general confrontation with China is in Japanese national interest. China was surprised by the evolution of American policy and its reaction was rather defensive. The Chinese president Xi Jinping suspects that the US’s real goal is to prevent China from rising or projecting power and influence abroad, especially in Southeast Asia and South China Sea. However China’s leadership has firmly decided to oppose the American administration policy, particularly in the above mentioned region.
The countries of the region of Southeast Asia started to be severely challenged by China but also by the United States and Japan, especially in the South Chinese Sea. The majority of these countries are likely to continue the “hedge” policy.
- Author:
Rafał Ciastoń
- Institution:
doktorant Akademii Sztuki Wojennej
- Year of publication:
2019
- Source:
Show
- Pages:
153-169
- DOI Address:
https://doi.org/10.15804/ap201907
- PDF:
ap/22/ap2207.pdf
The concept of Indo-Pacific as the attempt of balancing China. The changes in the American perception of the security environment
The change in the name of the US Pacific Command to the US Indo-Pacific Command, which took place on May 30th , 2018, most clearly shows how the American perception of the security of the region is changing. Trump’s Indo-Pacific concept has replaced B. Obama’s Pivot concept in Asia. Seeing China as a strategic rival and a revisionist power, which has been mentioned in the national security strategy and the national defense strategy, the United States is trying to limit Chinas influence by strengthening formally existing alliances and ties with so-called strategic partners. The following article is an attempt to analyze the military dimension of the emerging need for the US to treat the Indo-Pacific as a unified operational theater, particularly in the context of the deteriorating security situation in the South China Sea and the ongoing Chinese militarization of the region.
- Author:
Natalia Potera
- Institution:
Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
- Year of publication:
2022
- Source:
Show
- Pages:
263-278
- DOI Address:
https://doi.org/10.15804/athena.2022.76.14
- PDF:
apsp/76/apsp7614.pdf
The main consequence of rapidly progressing globalization is the strengthening of new, dynamically developing economies. The paper includes the author’s reflections on the European Union’s strategy for the Indo-Pacific region, which is responsible for 60% of global GDP and 2/3 of global economic growth. As a result, this makes that neighborhood an area of conflicting interests and rivalry between the economically strongest state entities. Despite the relatively late involvement of other foreign players in the region, the European Union is also trying to strengthen its position in this area. On September 16, 2021, the “EU Cooperation Strategy in the Indo-Pacific Region” was established. The author of the paper will try to answer two main research questions: (1) What influences the shape of the European strategy towards the Indo-Pacific region? and (2) What obstacles does the European Union face in the process of shaping its relations with representatives of this region?
- Author:
Mukesh Shankar Bharti
- Institution:
Jawaharlal Nehru University
- ORCID:
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3693-7247
- Year of publication:
2023
- Source:
Show
- Pages:
191-210
- DOI Address:
https://doi.org/10.15804/athena.2023.80.11
- PDF:
apsp/80/apsp8011.pdf
The aim of the paper is to study the European Union’s geoeconomics policy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. In recent times, the Indo-Pacific has been gaining attention of the global economic powers. On this issue, the EU has launched a cooperation policy in the IndoPacific. This study examines the EU’s comprehensive strategy for the expansion of its presence in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. The EU wants economic and security partnerships among the Indo-Pacific countries. Among the EU member states, the French government is much enthusiastic about strategic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. The European Union’s policy has been operating in the regions as an instrument of soft and hard power. The research highlighted that the EU implies the construction of structural strategic networks to intensify the high capacities in the projection of power. The EU uses the key approaches of hard and soft power to achieve transatlantic goals. The comparative case study method is useful to know the objectives and results of the research. In conclusion, the EU needs to establish a much stronger relationship among the pacific countries to counter the Chinese aggression and expansion in maritime diplomacy.
- Author:
Elżbieta Majchrowska
- Institution:
Krakowska Akademia im. Andrzeja Frycza Modrzewskiego
- ORCID:
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5980-2903
- Year of publication:
2024
- Source:
Show
- Pages:
209-224
- DOI Address:
https://doi.org/10.15804/athena.2024.81.11
- PDF:
apsp/81/apsp8111.pdf
EU trade agreements with Indo-Pacific partners in the light of the provisions of the EU strategy for cooperation in the region
The article contains considerations on the regional trade agreements (RTAs) negotiated and concluded by the EU with its Indo-Pacific partners. The agreements were characterized in the context of the provisions of the strategy adopted in 2021 for this region, the aim of which is to increase the EU’s involvement in the Indo-Pacific, also by strengthening and deepening trade relations through RTAs. The analysis presented in the study showed that, in view of the huge potential and growing importance of this area in the global economy, these relations are of key importance for the EU’s economic interests, and the trade agreements negotiated, concluded and enforced constitute an important tool for implementing the Indo-Pacific strategy and pave the way towards strengthening the position of the EU there.