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Dr. Ling Wei, professor of international studies and director of the East Asian Studies Center at China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing, China, will present the talk. Titled “Rebalancing or Debalancing: The U.S. Strategies and New Asian Order,” it is free and open to the public.
According to Wei, East Asia's order is in evolution, but the region is at a crossroads. She says old and existing order patterns no longer apply, including China's ancient tributary order, which is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' current consensus and balancing order, and the hovering U.S. hegemonic order.
The United States plays a critical role in the evolution of Asian order, Wei says. So to a great degree, the nature of the new Asian order will be determined by how the United States employs its power; how it manages its relations with allies, partners and other stakeholders; and which regional institutions it commits itself to and to what extent. Wei also suggests that without coordination with and support from key players in East Asia, the "strategic" rebalance of the Obama administration can de-balance the region.
Wei is the Chinese contact for the Network of East Asian Think-tanks and is on the editorial board of Foreign Affairs Review (Waijiao Pinglun). She is a 2012-13 Fulbright Visiting Scholar at Cornell University, and previously was a visiting scholar at Oakland University and the French Institute of International Relations. Her research interests include international relations theory and East Asian regionalism. Wei earned her doctoral degree in international relations from China Foreign Affairs University.
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