Asia’s Southern Tier

This introduction has two parts: (1) an overview with some comparisons to Asia’s Northern Tier; and (2) an introduction to analysis of the Southern Tier centered on ASEAN, Australia, India. In a rapidly changing Asian landscape, concentration on East Asia has the effect of leaving on the margins developments to the south and to the north. The centerpiece of the former is ASEAN. The latter is driven by Sino-Russian relations, but a second factor is North Korea’s independent strategy and the efforts by South Korea to play a central role in this tier by virtue of its stewardship on the peninsula. The comparative section explores aspects of ASEAN centrality and jockeying over the Korean Peninsula, including South Korea’s attempts to establish its centrality. A second book on the Northern Tier is being published along with this volume.