Asia Center Seminar; co-sponsored by the Harvard Asia Center, Korea Institute, Program on U.S.-Japan Relations, WCIA, and Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies
Speaker:
Mesrob Vartavarian
Fellow, Harvard University Asia Center
Discussants:
Vincenzo Bollettino, Director, Program on Resilient Communities, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative
Carter Eckert, Yoon Se Young Professor of Korean History, Harvard University
Aki Nakai, Policy Innovations Fellow, Program on U.S.-Japan Relations, Harvard University
Chaired by James Robson, James C. Kralik and Yunli Lou Professor, Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations; Harvard College Professor; Victor and William Fung Director, Asia Center, Harvard University
Abstract:
The recent US withdrawal from Afghanistan has raised a host of questions regarding America’s future strategic direction and geopolitical policies. By all indications, President Biden’s hard pivot to Asia signals a rapid redistribution of strategic power to rimland Asia geared toward containing Chinese expansion. In certain respects, American strategy is reverting to where it stood during the early Cold War. Yet, administration officials must now factor in a radically altered regional context. This lecture argues that the Biden administration can potentially succeed in curbing China’s revisionist aspirations if it takes the needs and distinct historical trajectories of America’s Asia-Pacific alliance partners into account. It uses Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the Philippines as case studies.
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To attend this online event, please register here.
A reminder email with the Zoom link will be sent in advance of the event.
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