The “Age of East Asia”: Can the Politics of Regime Trump the Politics of Power?

Discussion of East Asian security and stability has become so prevalent that the twenty-first century has often been referred to as the “Age of East Asia.” The rapid changes now occurring in the East Asian security order require supporters to put a more concerted effort into the creation of a regional security regime if it is ever to reach fruition. This article examines the prospects for forming an East Asian security regime and links this contingency with a discussion of theoretical institutionalism and international regime theory. In the debate over international security and security regimes, controversy over how to define a “security regime” has intensified. This article investigates whether a regime approach can replace the more traditional power balancing strategies and alliance postures that still dominate the Asia-Pacific region’s security environment.