1.

Critically analyze the security challenges of East Asia and examine

the role and impacts of china and United States to resolve the
security issues?

East Asia region have been emerging as a very important place in international world politics
due to emerging power competition between big powers in this region. It is present at the
eastern part of Asia comprises of china, japan, Mongolia, Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, north
Korea and south Korea. The security challenges of East Asia is divided into traditional and
nontraditional one. Increase of china influence within the region along with japan coming up as
the competitor of china is a bigger security concern for other countries. Another security issue
in this region is territorial dispute between countries. China have many territorial dispute with
japan, Taiwan and in South China Sea. Third major issue is nucleariazation of North Korea that is
far bigger concern for not only East Asian countries but also the whole world.
While the nontraditional security issues included translational crimes like drug traffic kicking
and cybercrime. North Korea is accuse of involving in many cybercrimes by South Korea.
Territorial disputes is one of the important challenge which East Asia is facing today. China
claim Taiwan as its own province while Taiwan deny it. United States support Taiwan against
china to contain china. There is theory of Power transition mainly applied here which describe
the events during which rising power overcome the declining power. In this context, United
States is emerging as declining power and china is emerging as rising power. That is why United
States made the policy of containing china to delay its own decline. For this purpose united
states support all factors opposing chin in East Asia region. United states develop its Pivot east
strategy to contain china. In case of Taiwan united support provide strong support to Taiwan.
Taiwan is biggest ally of United States. China also have territorial issue with Macau, Mongolia
and Hong Kong. China governed them through “one country two system”. China economic
development model i.e Silk Road initiative, Asian development bank all are the steps to develop
its hegemon in the region. And United States supporting its allies like japan, South Korea
against china frameworks to contain its influence in the region.
North Korea is another security issue for whole East Asia. As north Korea is developing nuclear
weapon that create a security dilemma for South Korea along with japan. South kore develop
the defense missile capability to balance the North Korea defense system and small arm trade.
Japan is using the strategy of offensive defense against North Korea small arm race. In this
Korean peninsula issue, United States is supporting South Korea and japan to contain North
Korea. North Korea nuclear regime is far biggest hindrance for unites states interest in this
region. So United States support South Korea and japan against North Korea and impose
sanctions to control it. Japan and South Korea strongly support these sanctions while china
support North Korea to bring an end to these sanctions.
Japan emerge as the stronger competitor of china in East Asia. Before china emergence as
economic power in east Asia, japan is consider as the sole power in the region but china
overcome japan that create dilemma for japan but now japan is also coming in competition
with china. Japan is strong ally of United States. United states deploy its largest amount of
military bases in japan against china. Unites states use japan as an alliances in competition with
china. Japan and china also have territorial dispute over an island while china claims it but
unites states along with international community support japan over china in it.

Impacts of china and unites states in East Asia:

China is developing its influence over all the region through its economy, military bases. While
United States is supporting the opposing parties to contain china influence. The whole situation
is going toward another cold war as china and United States are in trade war with each other.
According to the fundamentals of power transition theory, if china tried to bring another new
world order then it may initiate the war between the rising power and declining power. So
united states have to accept multiparty rather than unipolarity in the region.

2. Does economic interdependence and realism increase and decrease the likelihood
of conflict among states? Possibility of conflict in East Asia region?

Economic interdependence theory is define as the link that is mainly generate between two or
more countries for free trade system. As a result the countries are dependent on each other for
their progress and economic development. This economic interdependence decrease the
chances of international conflict.
There are two major perspective emerge for this theory
Realist view
Liberalist view
According to liberalist perspective, the economic interdependence in which one country
depend on other for supplies and trade, doesn’t go in war and conflict with other states.
Liberalist believe that if economic interdependence present between states that going to war is
not good choice for states as it harm both equally. They also believe that rather than going to
war and conflict, those states may go for non-military choices like trade war and sanctions

 For example: United States and china both are in strong competition with each other.
Both are in trade war with each other but doesn’t go in direct conflict with each other.
 North Korea is isolated from rest of world and doesn’t go in trade with other world
countries except china that is why North Korea directly challenge other states.
  China and India are economically interdependent that’s why despite the territorial
dispute over Ladakh they both doesn’t go in direct war with each other.

According to realist view, there is anarchy present in the world, if state A is interdependent
economically on state B, then for its security, state A tries to wage war to ensure the
continuous flow of material and goods to its states. They believe that stronger partner will go
for war to make the continuous access to material and resources.

 For example: East Indian company of British come to Indian continent for trade purpose
but later on they invade the region to ensure the continuous access to material and
resources.
 China and Unites states are in digital war with each other. Both are biggest trading
partners but they both compete for 5G. So indirect war is continue to going on between
them. US and china is also blaming for coronavirus to each other.

So the economic interdependency doesn’t evolve peace but war as the stronger one tried to
control over the resources.
Possibility of conflict in East Asian Region according to these theories:

China is trying to make its influence over East Asian region through economic interdependency.
China have economic development projects with many countries but still the territorial dispute
among them is not resolve.
China and japan both are economic power and biggest traders of each other. They are in strong
cooperation with each other over infrastructure and development but still they are also in
competition with each other. Japan support United States against china so indirect war and
conflicts are increasing rather than decreasing.
South Korea, japan and china undergo in Economic project that is “Comprehensive Economic
Partnership for East Asia” that still are in strong competition with each other in the region.
Realist perspective mainly apply here that is the economic interdependence does not bring
peace but conflict. There is intrastate conflict still going on in East Asia.