Challenges of us Hegemony in East Asia Assignment 2022

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Challenges of US hegemony in East Asia
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CHALLENGES OF US HEGEMONY IN EAST ASIA1
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.

CHALLENGES OF US HEGEMONY IN EAST ASIA2
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