The closing decade of the 20th century offered a crystal ball for anyone peering into the future of the Asia-Pacific region. Japan's economy, once the region's leader, was "lost" after its asset bubble burst, whereas China overcame the economic stagnation that followed the Tiananmen Square crisis of 1989 to achieve its current path of strong growth.
The debate raging 10 years ago about China's rapid growth — whether it represents a danger or an opportunity — has now settled into broad agreement that wider regional development would be impossible without it.
Further geopolitical implications for the region and the world follow from three key changes in China: