Challenges of us Hegemony in East Asia Assignment 2022

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Challenges of US hegemony in East Asia
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

1CHALLENGES OF US HEGEMONY IN EAST ASIA
The world witnessed the rise of U.S, as the superpower after the Second World War U.S
was quick to establish its dominant presence in East Asia with its superior military and political
power. The presence of U.S on East Asian was solidified after the World War II that allowed U.
S to have a permanent military presence in the area. This helped U.S to transform Japan, South
Korea to become allies. This strategy was useful to create a strong political-military alliance and
it helped all the involved countries during the Cold War (Garver 2015). This enabled America to
win against the Soviet Union and communist China. However, with changing political scenarios
and economies U.S faces challenges to hold on to the title as the global superpower (Sutter
2019). As new power emergences in East Asia, U.S leadership is faced with challenge to
maintain its title as the global superpower. This essay discusses the challenges faced by U.S in
East Asia. This phenomenon is referred to as macro clustering in hegemony that creates growth
opportunities to its close allies.
The East Asian alliance has served U.S for over half a century and has remained one of
the most stable and resilient alliances overcoming political changes, wars, economic boom and
crisis. The United States provides the East Asian counties with protection, accesses to U.S
markets while U.S gains strategic partners, economic gain, and a geopolitical presence. After the
World War II the development of Asian countries served American security interest. When
China faced the collapse of Kai-Shek’s regime in China, America saw the best opportunity was
the reconstruction Japan’s economy (Cha 2016) It was considered a clever move that would
deviate Japan from adopting a Communist approach also make it the new economic super power
in East Asia. The plan worked as Japan quickly rose as the regional economic power when they
procured military for U.S during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Taiwan, South Korea
also benefited from U.S aid. Asia profited miraculously from the open trade relation with U.S.

2CHALLENGES OF US HEGEMONY IN EAST ASIA
Japan exported technology and directed it foreign investment to South Korea and Taiwan, thus
these type of cross industrialization helped Asian countries to grow (Duus 2016). The East
Asian countries depend on U.S significantly for their security. While this situation was
conducive for all the parties involved, its people did not easily appreciate the presence of
American military in these East Asian counties. The American are of the belief that the presence
of American troops has a charitable purpose and one that is not born out of security measures,
the citizens of these country do not agree with this notion. Moreover when there is a crime or bad
incident revolving an American personnel such as rape, hit and run accident, it reaffirms their
doubts further. This creates a problematic environment on the relations with the host country and
US (Nakanishi et al 2018). When collective effort of Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
(SEATO) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) proved ineffective U.S remained the
only one with strong military alliance. These has resulted in a complex system of interdependent
network amongst the countries.
In words of Reich and Lebow China will have a greater role in maintaining global
economic stability while U.S will be more involved in ensuring security and development in the
world. After gaining economic and political stability Japan is diversifying its political relations,
South Korea too has improved social and trading ties with China. The emergence of China as a
new superpower of the East, it does question the influence of U.S in the global political front. In
order to counterbalance China’s growing influence U.S has been pushing Trans Pacific
Partnership negotiations even though it is not going to bring an enormous economic benefit.
There are challenges to U.S hegemony in East Asia but it does not mean the decline in U.S
power. America is still the best option for the East Asian nations as China is not providing
security or acting as a consumer market for these nations U.S still has the upper hand. The

3CHALLENGES OF US HEGEMONY IN EAST ASIA
developing countries in East Asia may feel the need to join to together and stop the dependence
on the U.S economy and therefore support China, yet since China’s economy is also linked with
U.S; the Chinese dominance is unlikely to upset the American hegemony. However, China
remains as the emerging superpower in East Asia, to predict that it will eventually trump the
dollar dominance is still questionable (Costigan Cottle and Keys 2017). It is to be noted that
there has always been political disagreement between the two nations. There is a debate
regarding the power shift from U.S to China but since the plan to integrate China into US
dominated, regional economy backfired. Instead, China profited immensely and resulted in
growing its economic sector as well as increased political influence. Many believe that US
created a powerful competitor for itself that will make US hegemony challenging while others
think US power remains unchallenged (Swaine 2017). Another aspect is that China does not
seem interested in challenging U.S’s military power; it is more interested in growing its capitalist
economy. US too is not leaning towards confronting China’s growing power, if this continues
there is no need for war and both the power can coexist (Foot 2017).
While examining the growth and power surge in China, experts doubt its dominance over
America. China lacks to project the impact of Chinese power on a global scale; it fails to attract
the global audience in its communist ideologies and values. China is inspired by its own history
and culture and that has influenced their governance and policymaking process as well.
However, China unlike America has failed to show the world those values that it has inculcated.
To put it simply, America has built a reputation of one of the top three “soft power” influencers;
China does not exhibit soft or hard power. This certainly leads to question how effective
challenge will China pose in East Asia (Añorve and Burt 2016).

4CHALLENGES OF US HEGEMONY IN EAST ASIA
America sparks controversy regarding its political choices, and the mismanaged wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan has led to question the judgement of American leadership. The wars costed
greatly on American economy but also led to a damage in the reputation of countries ethics and
political assessment. It will be wrong to assume that America will continue to enjoy its influence
without facing a repercussion from its allies. In the demographic of East Asian nations such as
Japan, US brash political decision has led to increasing doubt about the strategic intentions of
America, the relation with Japan is still intact but another mismanaged incident can certain cost
America an ally. The current political sphere under the Trump reign shows uncertainty for
America in relation to East Asia (Kausikan 2017). The US Asia policy is chaotic, and has led to
the decline in US stock in Asia. With the rising threat from North Korea’s nuclear missile
program, US needs the support of South Korea more than ever. However, the Presidents open
criticism to South Korean government, which could lead to an unnecessary war between the two
countries and lose a major East Asia ally. Secondly, against the brashness of Trumps comments
against “one China” plan and open criticism, it has helped to project rational image of China on
the topic of North Korea while it has projected a rather unstable image of the American leader.
Another discontinuity is the removal of US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which was
backed by Obama and helped to maintain the longstanding ties with the ally nations (Yoshimatsu
2016). Also, America is thinking of dissolving the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS)
which may cause the deterioration of US hegemony. East Asia has undergone structural changes,
while there is some progress in the modernisation of US led alliance system, the bilateral policies
remains static. The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the East Asia Summit (EAS), China-Japan-
South Korea (C-J-K) Summit, ASEAN+ 3 (Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus China,
Japan, and South Korea) are increasing there are of influence and expanding their roles. The

5CHALLENGES OF US HEGEMONY IN EAST ASIA
functionality of this integration remains to be debated but it the static output from US may cost
in the future.
U.S current political stance is troubling, with less involvement in the bi lateral alliances,
criticism of allies and withdrawing trading with the East Asian nations may cause these nations
to lean towards China the only powerful nation after US (Rozman 2018). One of the most
important reasons for East Asian countries to support United States was the open trade that,
helped the economy of these nations immensely. Therefore, U.S needs to give these factors
serious consideration if it wants to maintain an autonomous hegemony in East Asia. The US
economy is closely tied to Asia and economy is tied with power. Hence, America should
consider building a bridge for middle class American as well as middle class in Asia. Working
towards boosting the economy is a clever move that America could adopt to strengthen
relationship with these nations. Under the Trump leadership relation with Thailand has improved
remarkably, where the President extended warm welcome to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha
and honoured his fight against drug use. However this does not bode well with the other East
Asian countries for Thailand’s prime minister’s is known for military dictatorship and the violent
and complete violation of human rights of tackling the drug situation (Smith 2018). In yet
another scenario, during the Rohingya incident of Myanmar led to the genocide to thousands of
Burmese Muslims a clear violation of human right but Trump government only issued a public
condemnation against such action (Fair 2018). Trump government has repeatedly come under
global scrutiny for its lenience towards a fascist ideology and receiving global criticism
(Davidson 2017).
US domestic policies have effect on foreign policies and attitudes as well therefore, lines
of foreign policy in US is continuously blurring, the foreign and domestic policies mean almost

6CHALLENGES OF US HEGEMONY IN EAST ASIA
the same. When a new political issue develops there is bound to be an argument for it or against
it. Democracy gives that choice to its people, and the most popular choice wins. Thus, the
policies are often governed by populism, a general notion of agreement. America has used the
concept of populism in shaping its domestic policies as well as foreign decision. The populism
has led to forming a global notion of US. For example, in the 9/11 incident created a global
islamophobia not just a domestic notion. This also shows the power that US radiates in its
policies both domestic and foreign governance. The blurring effect of the national and foreign
policies has increased issues for US. To illustrate, US imports most of its food supply from East
Asia, with a limited staff from the FDA it is proving difficult for US to monitor its import,
therefore it is placing US food supply in the hands of the foreign suppliers. This has led to supply
of unsafe Chinese infant formula and others. The pharmaceuticals too is effected by this, as more
drugs are produced in China and India, the rise of complex global supply chain has flooded the
US market with counterfeit and illicit products (Zhao 2019). It is important to realise that
globalisation and increasing interdependency of nations has given the need to address a board of
global regulators who can be in charge of the domestic as well as the foreign assessment of
various processes.
In conclusion, US most certainly faces challenges in maintaining its leadership in East
Asian countries. The emergence of China as the new super power may not immediately capsize
the political dominance of US, but it surely can be swayed significantly. Over half a century
America and its strategic relationship in East Asian countries has established a stable economy
and ensured its security geopolitically. This has also been facilitated as America has been the
best option for these nations, however recently under Trump’s reign, and sudden brash
withdrawal from trade policies and criticism of its allies is creating a lapse in the American

7CHALLENGES OF US HEGEMONY IN EAST ASIA
hegemony. There is an emerging chance of China taking the reins, as it is the only country with
a large enough military power. Therefore, America does face serious challenges in current
political scenario but it is still unlikely for it to lose it dominance yet.

8CHALLENGES OF US HEGEMONY IN EAST ASIA
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