In the AREA Ruhr Book Talk Series, experts from AREA Ruhr are looking forward to meeting up with authors of newly released academic books that deal with East Asia from a wide variety of disciplinary perspectives. At AREA Ruhr, we are curious about getting insights into recently published research results and discussing the “research journey” that authors have been engaged in.
All events are conducted online via Zoom and are open to be joined after registration. Following the exchange between the invited author and an AREA host, the audience is encouraged to join the discussion.
The sixth episode of the AREA Ruhr Book Talks will be conducted in September 2025. Please find information on the event below.
8 September 2025, 11 AM CET
“Asia-Pacific Secondary States as Kingmakers: Alignment Roles in the China-US Strategic Competition”
by Richard J. Cook (co-authors: Maximilian Ohle and Zhaoying Han)
Host: Igor Sevenard (UDE, AREA Ruhr)
Further information & registration
About the author
Richard J. Cook, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of International Relations at the Zhou Enlai School of Government, Nankai University, China. His research focuses on the International Relations of the Asia-Pacific, China-US Relations, Secondary State Behaviour and Strategies, Hierarchy in International Relations, China-Europe Relations, and International Security.
He is the principal author for Asia-Pacific Secondary States as Kingmakers: Alignment Roles in the China-US Strategic Competition (London and New York: Routledge, 2025). His publications have appeared in The Chinese Journal of International Politics, The Journal of Chinese Political Science, Journal of Contemporary China, International Relations, The Pacific Review, Europe-Asia Studies, Korea Observer, Political Science Education, The Journal of Latin American Studies, and other leading journals.
About the Book
The dawn of China-US strategic competition has broken, drawing intense global attention to the Asia-Pacific region. While much focus is placed on Beijing and Washington, less explored is the critical role of secondary states caught in the middle of this escalating rivalry. What position will these secondary states take as the China and the US vie for power and influence? How does the nature of this competition evolve as secondary states face a shrinking space to hedge amid increasing pressure?
In this book, Richard J. Cook, Maximilian Ohle, and Zhaoying Han examine the strategic dynamics shaping the Asia-Pacific by focusing on four key regional linchpins: Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Vietnam. These secondary states occupy a unique and powerful position—what the authors term the “power of the weak paradox”. Though comparatively smaller, these linchpins hold significant sway over the regional balance of power and can tip the scales through their alignment choices, effectively serving as kingmakers. Their decisions may disrupt or uphold the strategic ambitions of China and the US, potentially driving deep regional splits or igniting geopolitical powder kegs.
China and the US are engaged in a competitive effort to win influence over these secondary states, each seeking to secure their allegiance in a high-stakes game of regional supremacy. Drawing extensively on first-hand government sources and diverse regional perspectives, this book illuminates the intricate dynamics and intense pressures these secondary states face. The resulting alignment decisions are fraught and perilous, with profound implications for the trajectory of China-US strategic competition and the future stability of the Asia-Pacific.
This work offers a profound exploration of power struggles, strategic choices, and the often-overlooked but decisive role of secondary states in the most consequential geopolitical contest of our time.
Please register through the following link to receive access to the online Book Talk:
https://uni-due.zoom-x.de/meeting/register/L543snuZQdmcKckoHHmIRQ