Abstract
This study argues that the concept of a regional leader is particularly promising for explaining the development of East Asian regionalism, albeit not the sole determining factor. It shows that regional leadership dynamics in East Asia have shifted from the absence of regional leaders to Sino–Japanese cooperative competition to their conflictive competition, which has been determined not only by the material power structure but also by social interactions. It argues that this shifting dynamics has proved crucial for the evolution of East Asian regionalism, determining its fate and degree. The last argument is that the nature of regional leadership dynamics has served as an important determining factor for the strategy and the influence of the USA towards East Asia. This study not only helps us understand the evolution of East Asian regionalism but also provides profound implications for its future trajectory.
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