CSS Current Affairs | US-China Tussle to be Dominant in the Asia-Pacific
The following question of CSS Current Affairs is solved by Dr. Arzoo Fatima under the supervision of Howfiv’s Pakistan Affairs and Current Affairs Coaches. She learnt how to attempt 20 marks question and essay writing from Sir Syed Kazim Ali, Pakistan’s best CSS and PMS English essay and precis teacher with the highest success rate of his students. This solved past paper question is attempted on the pattern taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory and optional subjects for years, and uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Outline
1- Introduction
2- Importance of Asia Pacific Region
3- How is the US trying to keep its dominant position in the Asia-Pacific?
- ✓Argument: Tightening coordination with allies like ASEAN
- Evidence: According to the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, the U.S.-ASEAN Platform for Infrastructure and Connectivity aims to promote sustainable infrastructure across Southeast Asia and Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025
- ✓Argument: The collective security of QUAD and AUKUS
- Evidence: The US has provided about 620 million dollars annually for security assistance in the Indo-Pacific and 13.55 billion dollars for foreign military sales in this region
- ✓Argument: Elevation of the intelligence of FIVE EYES
- Evidence: The FIVE EYES also shares secret global information with member countries and cooperatively investigates China’s military exploits
- ✓Argument: Strengthening the emerging partnership of the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and Intel
- Evidence: The United States to secure the liberal international order within the Asia-Pacific by strengthening ties with Taiwan and improving its security vis-à-vis China
4- What is China’s response to the US’s dominant position in Asia Pacific?
- ✓Argument: strengthen mutual affiliation in the military and security realm
- Evidence: The largest hacking programs and continuously conducts heist actions on a global scale in the US
- ✓Argument: Perceived Position in Asia
- Evidence: China is concentrating on strengthening the country’s power, viewing it as an opportunity
- ✓Argument: Security Challenges and Concerns
- Evidence: China utilizing engagement enhances diplomatic ties, trying to advance its objectives
5- Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
The Asia Pacific region, without any doubt, is the primary driver of the world economy. These regions collectively generate the world’s largest GDP of trillion dollars worth. Dominance over the Asia Pacific region equates to global control and preserving hegemony. This economic vitality makes it a crucial engine for global growth. The US is competing with China for hegemony in the Asia Pacific Region. However, the US maintained its hegemony by employing tightening coordination with allies like ASEAN, the collective security of QUAD and AUKUS, and strengthening its partnership with the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Furthermore, China disseminated a response by strengthening mutual affiliation in the military and security realm and perceived Position in Asia. Therefore, the region holds great significance for nations worldwide. The USA and China are also engaged in a competitive relationship, emphasizing their global influence.
Importance of Asia Pacific Region
The region is highlighted for the world economies, and the total worth of GDP is 39 trillion dollars and comprises 56% of economic output. The Asia Pacific region has some of the most dynamic trade and energy routes globally. These routes facilitate commerce, resource exchange, and connectivity between nations. As half of the world’s population resides in this region, it includes some of its largest militaries. It significantly impacts global security dynamics. The US has actively engaged in a strategy of balancing toward the Asia-Pacific. This involves strengthening security parties with allies like Japan, South Korea, and Australia, emerging partners like Indonesia and Vietnam, investing in multilateral institutions and maintaining its hegemony while containing China.
How is the United States trying to keep its dominant position in the Asia-Pacific?
- ✓Tightening coordination with allies like ASEAN
The relations were elevated to CSP – Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the US and ASEAN. The leaders of ASEAN and the United States established a public-private partnership to form one of the critical hubs for ASEAN’s engagement with the United States. According to the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, the US-ASEAN platform for Infrastructure and Connectivity aims to support the implementation of sustainable infrastructure in Southeast Asia and implement the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025. The efforts support improved connectivity between ASEAN and the U.S. private sector. SMEs facilitate capacity-building programs that help promote common goals and a shared vision of the United States and ASEAN. Thus, in this way, the US maintained its hegemony in the Asia Pacific by collaborating with ASEAN
- ✓The collective security of QUAD and AUKUS
The AUKUS consists of a security pact between Australia, the US, and the UK on technology sharing, and it includes nuclear-powered submarines for Australia. The United States has already provided around 620 million US dollars annually for security assistance in the Indo-Pacific and 13.55 billion for foreign military sales in this region. AUKUS is rescaled at strategic relations among the three countries on intelligence, security, military, and technological sharing. QUAD is another multilateral system affiliated with the United States, Japan, India, and Australia to counter the Chinese threat. Japan initiated the dialogue in 2007, and it finally reconvened in 2017 when the United States promoted the Indo-Pacific Strategy, which focused on security cooperation in the area. Hence, they have played a role in the containment of China and upholding the supremacy of the US.
- ✓Elevation of the intelligence of FIVE EYES
The FIVE EYES is a top-secret intelligence pact concentrated on military intelligence and has the following members: the US, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand, accompanied by Korea, India, Germany, and Japan. Countries in the alliance have been involved in massive cybercrimes involving theft, surveillance, and attacks that compelled technology companies to include backdoors into encrypted applications. The FIVE EYES also share secret global information with member countries and cooperatively investigates China’s military exploits. Therefore, the collective security system FIVE EYES succeed in its function and role to control China and explore regional security while maintaining the US military hegemony in the Indo-Pacific.
- ✓Strengthening partnership with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and Intel
Finally, a share of Taiwan represents the best chance for the United States to secure the liberal international order within the Asia-Pacific and further improve its security vis-à-vis China. The relationship between the United States and Taiwan was born out of shared values. These relations were jointly reinforced simultaneously with people-to-people economic ties and relations as forces to spur the expansion of the US engagement with Taiwan. It has trading ties with the US. Hence, the US maintained its position and engraved its footprint on this region by partnering with China’s counter alliance.
What is China’s response to the US’s dominant position in Asia Pacific
- ✓strengthen mutual affiliation in the military and security realm
China significantly increased its military strength and applied economic coercion on countries that sought to undermine American vital national interests. China has stolen many advanced industrial technology and army techniques through cyber-attacks. It maintains the largest hacking programs compared to significant countries and continuously conducts heist actions globally. It would stimulate the FIVE EYES to strengthen mutual affiliation in the military and security fields to keep the US in check. The system includes all suspicious activities in the air, land, sea, and even outer space and intelligence, monitoring, and patrolling in cyberspace.
- ✓Perceived Position in Asia
China is emerging as the dominant power in Asia and counterbalance to the US in the Asia Pacific region. China concentrates on empowering national strength to achieve, and Chinese leaders view it as an opportunity. China is moving towards this objective by shaping its security environment more effectively and protecting its core interests. Chinese President Xi Jinping has laid out these initiatives in his foreign policy directive, which emphasizes the utilization of a combination of soft and coercive power to accomplish foreign policy objectives and address security challenges
- ✓Security Challenges and Concerns
The issue concerning China’s primary interest revolves around sovereignty concerning Taiwan and the East and South China Sea. Chinese leaders have opted to resort to force to address their concerns. This could potentially lead to regional destabilization, prompting the US to act and impact American allies. China recently organized an ASEAN gathering to strengthen strategic ties and discuss ways to enhance military cooperation with Thailand. Efforts are ongoing to collaborate with Vietnam to expand maritime domain awareness and enhance logistical support capabilities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a connection exists between the US hegemony and China’s influence in the Asia Pacific, where the US tried to maintain its supremacy, which acts as a driving force against China. This can be seen through thecollective security of QUAD and AUKUS, and the collective security of QUAD and AUKUS has been circulated globally. This imposes a plethora of predicaments in all realms of China. Moreover, China established security challenges and concerns to counter them and strengthened mutual affiliation in the military and securityrealms.Therefore, a thorough examination of the Asia Pacific region confirms that it revolves around the cycle of hegemony and influence both nations have in a competition that impacts a nation’s advancement.
CSS Solved Past Papers’ Essays
Looking for the last ten years of CSS and PMS Solved Essays and want to know how Sir Kazim’s students write and score the highest marks in the essays’ papers? Then, click on the CSS Solved Essays to start reading them.
CSS Solved Essays
CSS Solved General Science & Ability Past Papers
Want to read the last ten years’ General Science & Ability Solved Past Papers to learn how to attempt them and to score high? Let’s click on the link below to read them all freely. All past papers have been solved by Pakistan’s top CSS GSA coach having the highest score of their students.
General Science & Ability Solved Past Papers
