Summary

This authoritative and comprehensive assessment of U.S. relations with East Asia offers a cogent analysis of the issues affecting the region, as well as domestic determinants of American policy. Sutter argues that how well or poorly U.S. policies and behavior mesh with the priorities and actions of East Asian leaders will profoundly influence the course of the relationship. Drawing on a wide range of sources and the author’s invaluable perspective as the U.S. government’s most senior analyst of East Asian affairs, this book assesses the key causes and trends in recent security, economic, and political dynamics in East Asia to point to the opportunities and challenges they pose for U.S. policy today. Sutter’s carefully balanced assessment of both U.S. and Asian determinants and developments supports his argument that recent American policies and behavior are reasonably congruent with those of leaders in the region, leading to a generally positive outlook for the United States in East Asia and the Pacific.