Book reviewed: China's coming war with Asia, by Jonathan Holslag

Book reviewed: China's coming war with Asia, by Jonathan Holslag

The rise of modern China and its ambitions in the 21st century

China's increasing assertiveness in Asia, its dominance in the global economy and confrontation with the United States is a very serious political issue in 21st century: It poses a significant threat to the peace and stability in the world. Author Jonathan Holslag discusses these views in this book with a large focus on China's long term economic strategy, deployment of resources, national defense, and its simmering border disputes with its Asian neighbors. Most threatened are the smaller South East Asian countries which are militarily and geographically at a disadvantage. China has successfully used "cut & divide" strategy to enhance local hostilities among other Asian countries.

China is altering the regional balance of power but it is behind United States. Its military capabilities have been modernized but technologically not superior. Its economy has grown but dangerously unbalanced distancing the rich from its vast poor population by a significant factor. In the long run, the popular uprising for social justice would be powerful enough to force the unfair communist regime to bring social, political and economic reforms.

Holslag's analysis is somewhat flawed in the sense he concentrates exclusively on China's economy and largely ignores how other major countries in the region, especially India and Japan are doing to combat the threat from China. The author's tone is fair but his conclusions are not unexpected.