Rethinking the 'Cold War' in the Asia-Pacific

Whereas the Yalta System collapsed and the Cold War ended in the Euro-Atlantic context, the basic structure of the Cold War remains in the Asia-Pacific region, and still provides potential sources for future conflicts. This paper reconsiders the regional Cold War and its implications for current international politics in the Asia-Pacific region. It argues that the relaxation of tensions seen since the late 1980s resembles the 1970s' detente in the Euro-Atlantic region, i.e. recognition of a Cold War political status quo, rather than the 'end of the Cold War'. Along with political and ideological confrontations, significant elements within the Cold War structure in the Asia-Pacific are regional conflicts among its major players. Their historical correlation within the San Francisco System has been neglected in past studies. The paper suggests that re-examining the disputes within a multilateral framework may provide a key to a breakthrough in understanding the current status quo.