The Gulf between the Indo-Pacific and the Belt and Road Initiative

Jonathan Fulton, Zayed University

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Rising Powers Quarterly

Publication Date

10-2018

Abstract

The Indo-Pacific has become more prominent internationally since President Trump’s administration began using it instead of the Asia-Pacific – a term more commonly used by his predecessors. This change in terminology largely appears to be a response to China’s growing influence across Eurasia and the Indian Ocean, as its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) expands. The Trump administration’s approach to the Indo-Pacific indicates an attempt to limit Chinese gains, a contrast to previous U.S. administrations’ efforts to integrate China into the liberal order. This could potentially lead to balancing behavior across Eurasia, with competition increasing in multiple Asian regions. The Gulf, deeply embedded in the American-led liberal order while increasingly engaged with China, is a region that could be affected by Sino-American competition, as economic and strategic interests of external powers come into play at a time when the regional order is undergoing change. This confluence of tensions – at both the international and regional levels – will influence the Gulf’s political, economic, and security environment.

ISSN

2547-9423

Volume

3

Issue

2

First Page

175

Last Page

193

Disciplines

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Indexed in Scopus

no

Open Access

no

Link to Full Text

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