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The Pacific Century (also Asia-Pacific Century) is a term that has been used to describe the 21st century through analogy with the term American Century. The implicit assumption underlying the usage of the term is that the 21st century will be dominated, especially economically, by the states in the Asia-Pacific region, in particular China, Japan, India, South Korea, Taiwan, the ASEAN members (particularly Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore), Australia, Russia, Canada, Mexico, and the United States. This idea can be compared to the historical Eurocentric viewpoint. The term Asian Century is now more commonly used, shifting greater emphasis towards Asia, especially on the potential superpowers of China and India. Cities in those countries, such as Tokyo, Mumbai, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Manila, Singapore, Hong Kong, New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Manila, Vancouver, Mexico City, Moscow, Sydney, Delhi and Bangkok are increasingly gaining power as financial centres, displacing cities in Europe.

Critics of the term believe it incorrectly describes the 21st century and overstates the importance of the states around the Pacific Rim.

A 10 hour documentary entitled The Pacific Century was aired on PBS in 1993, which covered the history of modern Asia and the West, as well as the future of the region [1].

In a November 2011 article for Foreign Policy, the term was recast as America's Pacific Century by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to succinctly describe the leading US foreign-policy goal of the 21st century. Acknowledging discussion of the rising threat to American power in the region from rapidly developing Pacific nations, most obviously China, Clinton said: "One of the most important tasks of American statecraft over the next decade will therefore be to lock in a substantially increased investment—diplomatic, economic, strategic, and otherwise—in the Asia-Pacific region."^[1] President Barack Obama also toured various countries that month to bolster security alliances and work on a new trade bloc called the Trans-Pacific Partnership.^[2][3] The preceding year, Clinton had already "grabbed Beijing's lapels" by declaring the South China Sea as a vital American interest.^[4] Clinton's remarks were translated into official policy at the start of 2012, as the Obama administration outlined a new China-centric military strategy.^[5] The policy shift was denounced by Chinese state media, which declared that the Americans should not "recklessly practice militarism", nor engage in "war mongering".^[5]

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Wilkins, Thomas (2010). "The new 'Pacific Century' and the rise of China: An international relations perspective". Australian Journal of International Affairs 64 (4): 381–405. DOI:10.1080/10357718.2010.489993. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10357718.2010.489993. Retrieved 2 May 2012. 

External links[link]

• Former Australian PM Kevin Rudd discusses the Asia-Pacific Century at the Asia Society (January 2012)

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