Asia’s Reckoning: China, Japan, and the Fate of U.S. Power in the Pacific Century

Seasoned Asia correspondent McGregor (The Party) anatomizes the dynamic, often strained trilateral relationship between China, Japan, and the U.S. since WWII. His informed volume comes at a time when, in his opinion, East Asia sits at the heart of the global economy and China’s aggressive foreign policy is upsetting the region’s stability. McGregor reviews China’s stunning rise to prosperity, beginning with the Deng Xiaoping era, and the economic expansion of East Asia as a whole, now a manufacturer of smartphones, furniture, and clothing for the world. While McGregor emphasizes the enduring American-Japanese postwar alliance, he recounts U.S. ambivalence toward Japan’s emergence as an economic superpower. He also outlines a century of seemingly intractable animosity between China and Japan. Often critical of Washington’s “combination of idealism and arrogance,” McGregor offers detailed, vivid descriptions of America’s Asian diplomacy. His work demonstrates that a long-established Pax Americana, now buffeted by rising Chinese ambitions and military power, is facing unprecedented challenges. Reviewing East Asia’s toxic rivalries with balance and insight, McGregor’s survey concludes ominously with President Trump’s lack of familiarity with regional issues and disdain for old alliances, portending further tensions in East Asia’s future. (Sept.)