The United States, China, and the Politics of Hegemonic Ordering in East Asia

Abstract

China's rise has raised important questions about the durability of US hegemony in East Asia. Much of the debate, however, has generally been cast in fairly simplistic terms, suggesting the durability or end of US regional hegemony. Such framings nevertheless fail to fully capture regional dynamics and complexity. Advancing an English School conception of hegemony, this paper examines the politics, contestation, and renegotiation of the post–Cold War US hegemonic order in East Asia. It maps out four logics of hegemonic ordering in the existing literature, outlines their shortfalls and advances a twofold argument. First, although regional order will not disintegrate into binary “order versus disorder” or “US versus Chinese hegemony” scenarios, the politics of hegemonic ordering—the interactive discourses, processes, relations, and practices that underpin hegemony—will intensify as the United States and China continue to both cooperate and compete for power, position, and influence in East Asia. Second, I argue that the East Asian regional order will evolve in ways that resemble hybrid forms of hegemony in a complex hierarchy. Specifically, I develop a new logic—“coalitional and collaborative hegemonies in a complex hierarchy”—that is anchored in assertiveness, fluidity, and compartmentalization. It demonstrates that Washington and Beijing will not only form coalitional hegemonies, seeking legitimation from multiple and often overlapping constituencies, but also engage in a collaborative hegemony on shared interests. This better reflects evolving regional dynamics and yields theoretical insights into examining hegemonic transitions less as clearly delineated transitions from one distinct hegemonic order to the next, and more as partial and hybrid ones.

The rise of China between Global IR and area studies: an agenda for cooperation

“…This process has in turn led to responses by other regional states, and by the US, that have sought to reaffirm and consolidate the main normative pillars of the regional order (Foot, 2019; Goh, 2019; Dian and Meijer, 2020). On the other hand, Beijing's new centrality in the region has generated new forms of hierarchies, especially in the economic sector (Li, 2019; Liu and Liu, 2021). The effects of the presence and the possible evolution of this dual hierarchy on the stability of the order, on the compliance with key norms and principles, as well as on the strategies of large and middle powers in the region are likely to be central for IR scholars and area specialists alike in the near future (Loke, 2021).…”

China and its Region: An Assessment of Hegemonic Prospects

“…We see this in the membership of China's Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a multilateral development bank established in 2014. For illuminating discussions, see Loke (2021), Johnston (2019) and Henke (2017). 37 As far as I know, the fourth offset hypothetical comes from the Pentagon official Mieke Eoyang.…”

The Geopolitical Implications of Taiwan-China Relations on Regional Security

“…Certain individuals have expressed support for Taiwan's de facto self-governance and have called for the acknowledgment of its rights and independence. Several nations have increased their military presence in the area as a show of deterrence and support for Taiwan(Loke & Beverley, 2021). There is a growing call for greater participation of global organizations, such as the United Nations, in resolving crises and promoting peaceful resolutions.…”