Asia’s Cauldron: The South China Sea and the End of a Stable Pacific by Robert D. Kaplan

The South China Sea has been an area of intense focus in post-Cold War international affairs. The primary reason that explains the growing significance of the South China Sea in contemporary world politics is the regional tension and competition involving China and smaller adjacent countries around the sea. The engagement of the extra-regional powers, which has the potential to aggravate the situation, is another factor that compels International Relations (IR) practitioners to keenly watch the developments there. In this context, Robert D. Kaplan’s Asia’s Cauldron: The South China Sea and the End of a Stable Pacific offers its readers some compelling scenarios to visualise the future, including a possible military and economic rivalry between the United States (US) and China and the roles played by countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, Australia and Singapore.