East Asia is without question a region of huge economic, political and security significance. Asian Security and the Rise of Chinaoffers a comprehensive overview and assessment of the international politics of the Asia-Pacific since the end of the Cold War, seeking to address the overarching question of how we can most convincingly explain the central dynamics of Asia's international relations. Via a realist perspective on the dynamics and frictions associated with accommodating the rise of powerful states, this timely book addresses the core issue in contemporary Asian politics: the rise of China.

The contributors expertly evaluate China's rise and the impact it has had on the dynamics of regional relations in North East and South East Asia. They demonstrate that China's economic development and its regional and international ambition increasingly conflict with the existing consensus-based regional arrangements such as the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asian Summit mechanism. As a consequence, smaller states in the region increasingly resort to hedging and balancing strategies in an attempt to mitigate Chinese hegemony. This leaves the region in the grip of a complex and potentially destabilizing security dilemma.

The book offers a compelling analysis of the problem that China presents for its region that will enlighten undergraduate students of regional political studies and international relations. Postgraduate and Masters students on courses addressing East and South East Asia will also find plenty of information in this invaluable book.