WASHINGTON — Predictions of the 21st century as an Asian century led by burgeoning Asian economic, political and military powers appear on course with the impressive and growing wealth and power of such rising Asian states as China and India, backed by the already well developed economies of Japan, South Korea and others that used to be called newly industrialized countries.
There also is a great deal of discussion regarding Asian nations asserting leadership in managing regional affairs through regional and subregional groups and other means, and thereby challenging and marginalizing the leading roles played by the United States and other world powers and institutions in Asian and world affairs. But actual accomplishments in this regard are limited.
In fact, the record of demonstrated leadership by Asian governments in regional and world affairs seems much weaker than many pundits and commentators would have us believe. And the leadership role played by the U.S. in Asia does not appear to have been seriously diminished, despite the unpopularity of Bush administration policies, the many foreign policy and domestic problems in the U.S., and the rising power of China, India and other Asian states. Many factors account for this apparent "leadership deficit" in Asia, but scrutiny of regional dynamics reveals two salient reasons: