From Apec to Xanadu: Creating a Viable Community in the Post-cold War Pacific: Creating a Viable Community in the Post-cold War Pacific

The APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum has become a conspicuous feature of the post-Cold War international landscape. Its membership links the Western Hemisphere with Asia and spans the world's largest and most dynamic regional economic market. APEC is a cornerstone of trade policy planning throughout the region. At the same time, APEC is limited in its scope and powers. Its parameters for policy recommendations have remained narrowly economic. There are no formal procedures for making decisions through negotiation and no sanctions or guidelines for conflict resolution. APEC's vision and modus operandi disregard the independence of economic prosperity and security. The essays in this volume, written by prominent scholars from throughout the APEC region, analyze concerns that must be addressed if APEC is to be a viable component of the post-Cold War international order, including: What is the future role of the United States, whose military and economic presence in the Pacific has made possible the transformation of Asia since 1945, as a leader in the region? How does the APEC region (projected to be the center of global political economy in the twenty-first century) relate to other regional and the global structures created since 1945 to manage economic development and international security?