Asia is one of the most critical geopolitical points in the world. The Indo-Pacific holds over 60 percent of the world's population and GDP. As Robert Sutter shows, it's also the site of intensifying competition between the United States and China. While Trump's tariffs have compelled Indo-Pacific governments to remake trade relations in line with US preferences, China has doubled down on exports, weakening regional competition. And then there is the question of Taiwan.

Asia in the Balance provides a comprehensive introduction to US–China competition for influence in the Indo-Pacific. Sutter explains why and how the US–China rivalry emerged after decades of cooperation to become the leading determinant of regional dynamics. And he examines how the rivalry influences each of the countries in the Indo-Pacific. Sutter argues that Trump's actions caused a decline in US regional influence but that, thus far, this has not worked to China's advantage. China's rigidity is preventing Beijing from capitalizing on Washington's alienation of its allies.

Robert Sutter is in the third decade of a second career as an academic after thirty-three years of government service focused on China, Asia, and US policy. He has a PhD from Harvard University in History and East Asia and has written two dozen books, including Chinese Foreign Relations: Power and Policy of an Emerging Global Force (2021). He is currently Professor of Practice of International Affairs at George Washington University.