EICN SG: Will the China-US rivalry derail the Asian century?

This may be the “Asian century” but pitfalls still abound for the region, among which contested geopolitics is the most prominent. The Asia region is now looking similar to late 19th-century Europe, with territorial disputes among neighbouring countries; intensifying competition between a rising power (China) and an established power that is reluctant to cede influence (the US), and the lack of a recognised arbitration framework with which to manage this conflict.

Most countries are desperate to avoid taking sides, as they balance economic ties to China with support for the security role played by the US. Their ability to be neutral, however, will be tested as superpower competition deepens and is dictated more by ideology.