China's Bilateral Relations and Order Transition in the Indo Pacific

This edited volume undertakes a systematic exploration of China's multifaceted interactions with five pivotal players situated in the Indo-Pacific: the United States, Japan, India, Australia, and ASEAN. By delving into both the theoretical underpinnings of state-to-state relationships and the empirical nuances of China's strategic engagements with these five critical actors, this book casts a clarifying light on the complexity of China's bilateral ties within the region. The strategic rivalry between the United States and China has emerged as a defining feature of international politics in the Indo-Pacific region. How China engages with the U.S. and other significant stakeholders in the region will intricately shape the trajectory and character of an impending transition in the international order, either through peaceful or confrontational means in the future. Five key bilateral relationships are examined from dual perspectives, capturing insights from scholars hailing from both within China and beyond its borders. This comprehensive initiative delves into the different viewpoints held by Chinese academics and their international counterparts regarding the very same bilateral relationship to develop a deeper understanding of the dynamics at play. This book will captivate the attention of scholars and policy analysts alike, fascinated by the dynamics of the US–China competition and the broader realm of geopolitics. Contents: China's Bilateral Relations, Order Transition, and the Indo-Pacific Dynamics (Feng Liu and Kai He) Infrastructure Statecraft and Sino–US Strategic Competition in the Indo-Pacific (Minghao Zhao) Parsing Post-Pandemic US–China Competition: Mutual (Mis)Perceptions and Dueling Geostrategies (Andrew Scobell) The US Factor and the Evolution of China–India Relations (Li Li) The Himalayan Barrier: India–China Relations since Galwan (Shounak Set and Harsh V Pant) The Japan's 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific' and Sino–Japanese Relations: A Chinese Perspective (Guangtao Wang and Zheng Chen) Stability and Fragility in Japan–China Relations: China's Pivotal Power and Japan's Strategic Leverage (Rumi Aoyama) China–Australia Relations and China's Policy Choices toward Australia: A Chinese Perspective (Fangyin Zhou) Explaining the Troubled Australia–China Relationship: A Perspective from Australia (Bates Gill) Reinforcing Wedging: Assessing China's Southeast Asia Policy in the Context of Indo-Pacific Strategy (Ruonan Liu) Herding Cats: Coordination Challenges in ASEAN's Approach to China (Ja Ian Chong) Readership: This book is targeted towards academics in the field of international relations and foreign policy analysts. This book is also suitable for upper-level undergraduates and Masters students in international relations.