Publication

This paper reports on the findings of a conference on the future of regional security and US alliances in East Asia. Using six case studies from Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, and the US, the project proposes a networked alliance structure aligned with US objectives, that allows Alliance partners to abide by their commitments, address domestic security reforms locally, and heighten cooperation to address common issues. The cases show that alliance partners favor an informal grouping for knowledge-sharing and a forum for states to discuss matters that may be too politically sensitive for existing mechanisms or beyond the scope of official structures.