ASIA PACIFIC GEOPOLITICS: US STRATEGIES AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR CHINA

Abstract

China’s rise has made her the centre of the regional and international politics. Its power potentials and geopolitical and geo-economic influence in the region has made the region pivot of major power politics. Chinese outreach through Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and naval assertiveness along with its expansion of interests has generated countervailing measures from the major powers especially US and some regional states especially Japan, India, and Australia. This paper hypothesises that China’s rise has made US and its regional allies concerned about the future of the regional order in which their interests are imminently would be marginalized against Chinese power, therefore, US with its allies has adopted provoking and assertive strategies to counter Chinese power and influence. In this paper effort has been made to analyse the dimensions of the Chinese rise and its perceptions by the US and its regional partners. It also endeavours to find out the nature and conduct of US strategies to balance and counter Chinese ever-expanding interests and influence. Finally, effort has been made to trace out the implications for China’s interests, influence, and goals in the region.