The future of Asia: Charting a roadmap for US engagement and leadership

Asia’s position at the center of U.S.-China geopolitical competition and ongoing tensions in hotspots such as the Taiwan Strait, the Korean Peninsula, and the South and East China Seas continue to pose daunting challenges to the region. Additionally, the regional architecture is shifting, as reflected by large-scale infrastructure investment initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Partnership for Quality Infrastructure, as well as two recent mega trade agreements: the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. U.S. policy toward Asia has also seen significant changes over time, most recently with the shift to “America First” under the Trump administration and now a likely return to multilateralism under the incoming Biden administration. What does the future hold for Asia, and what role should the U.S. play in ensuring the region’s continued stability and prosperity?

On Thursday, December 17, the Center for East Asia Policy Studies at Brookings hosted a panel of experts to discuss the major drivers of change and sources of stability in Asia. They offered views on how the next U.S. administration should formulate its Asia policy to ensure engagement and leadership. This webinar marked the conclusion of a two-year project launched in 2019 by the Foreign Policy program called Sustaining the East Asian Peace.

Viewers submitted questions via email to events@brookings.edu or via Twitter to @BrookingsFP using #FutureOfAsia.