The Indo-Pacific

Robert Walker

Chapter 13 in Is China Right?, 2026, pp 176-190 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Western, but particularly US, interest in the Indo-Pacific was rekindled by the emergence of China as a successful socialist market economy. The Obama administration sought to orchestrate a military alliance against an unnamed adversary; the first Trump administration called out China; and the Biden administration built multiple China-facing alliances before the second Trump administration escalated economic warfare. US military hegemony has to date manifested as posturing, alliance building and pressuring allies to increase defence spending. However, economic policies have sought to hurt China by disrupting the regional and global production, digital, financial and infrastructure networks that have supported its economic development. Economic and technological sanctions, when first applied, were justified by reference to national security and alleged human rights abuses. In terms of human welfare, the region advanced economically while US attention was elsewhere. Economic warfare has likely slowed economic growth and restricted incomes.

Keywords: Indo-Pacific; Economic Hegemony; Military Hegemony; Production Networks; Digital Networks; Financial Networks; Infrastructure Networks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035329229
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