Giving shape to Asia's new order

There can be no doubt that the biggest question today about Asia's future order revolves around the relationships among three nations - the United States, China and Japan. If a solid and durable foundation can be found for cooperative relations among the three powers, building a sustainable new order in Asia will not be difficult. If rivalry among them escalates, it might become impossible.

The differences between their separate visions are not hard to see. America wants to preserve the status quo in which its leading position remains the keystone of the regional order, and the Chinese acceptance of US leadership is the basis of US-China relationship. While it is willing to consult more closely with China on a wide range of issues as China's power grows, it does not envisage any fundamental change in the nature of their relationship, or of China's role in Asia, over the coming years.

Americans argue that this status quo has worked very well for Asia - including for China - for many years, and they believe that it remains the best basis for regional stability in the future.