International politics has shifted from unipolarity to bipolarity. This is accompanied by rising China-US strategic rivalry fuelled by incompatible visions of international governance. Meanwhile, social discontent is widespread around the world, which stems from unequal distribution of globalization’s costs and benefits. These two trends are reducing the prospects for global security and prosperity, leaving countries to fend for themselves in an increasingly polarized state-centric order.

In this AsiaGlobal Paper, Professor David Arase discusses the potential impact of these developments on the future of the Indo-Pacific region.