Paper
Ashley J. Tellis
{
"authors": [
"Ashley J. Tellis"
],
"type": "testimony",
"centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
],
"collections": [],
"englishNewsletterAll": "asia",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "AP",
"programs": [
"Asia",
"South Asia"
],
"projects": [],
"regions": [
"South Asia",
"East Asia",
"Southeast Asia"
],
"topics": [
"Economy",
"Trade"
]
}
Source: Getty
Testimony
Asia's Economic and Political Resurgence
Asia’s resurgence is revolutionary; Asia will contribute 43% of world GDP by 2020, is the second global hub of innovation, and has amassed a tremendous amount of military power. But the resurgence is also incomplete. Large swaths remain outside of Asia’s economic “miracle,” political systems remain at various stages of development, and Asian nations face many religious and ideological challenges.
Published on Oct 31, 2007
Source: Testimony before French White Paper Commission
Asia’s resurgence is revolutionary; Asia will contribute 43% of world GDP by 2020, is the second global hub of innovation, and has amassed a tremendous amount of military power. But the resurgence is also incomplete. Large swaths remain outside of Asia’s economic “miracle,” political systems remain at various stages of development, and Asian nations face many religious and ideological challenges.
The combination of the strength and weakness of Asian states implies both challenges to and opportunities for cooperation with Europe and the United States, noted Tellis. The U.S. will remain engaged in Asia, as Asian issues continue to be inextricably tied to global issues and the U.S. maneuvers to maintain its primacy. Ultimately, it remains to be seen whether Asia’s multipolarity leaves it “ripe for rivalry” or “primed for peace.”
Tellis said that the four central challenges posed by Asia’s to U.S. and European interests are:
• Will the region produce new rising powers that could disturb the existing power configuration in global politics?
• Will the region’s weaknesses produce threats to our common security and well-being?
• Will the region’s behaviors produce collective action problems that undermine our common security and well-being?
• Will the region produce new partners that can collaborate in the attainment of common goals?
You can watch the video of Tellis' testimony, in French, here.
About the Author
Ashley J. Tellis
Former Senior Fellow
Ashley J. Tellis was a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
- Multipolar Dreams, Bipolar Realities: India’s Great Power Future
- India Sees Opportunity in Trump’s Global Turbulence. That Could Backfire.Commentary
Ashley J. Tellis
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Is China’s High-Quality Investment Output Economically Viable?Commentary
China’s rapid technological progress and its first-rate infrastructure are often cited as refuting the claim that China has been systematically overinvesting in non-productive projects for many years. In fact, as the logic of overinvestment and the many historical precedents show, the former is all-too-often consistent with the latter.
Michael Pettis
- The Much-Touted Middle Corridor Transport Route Could Prove a Dead EndCommentary
For the Middle Corridor to fulfill its promises, one of these routes must become scalable. At present, neither is.
Friedrich Conradi
- The EU Equivocating on Turkey Is Bad GeopoliticsCommentary
Following Ursula von der Leyen’s gaffe equating Turkey to Russia and China, relations with Ankara risk deteriorating even further. Without better, more consistent diplomatic messaging, how can the EU pretend to be a geopolitical power?
Sinan Ülgen
- India’s Demographic Dividend Is a Test of GovernanceArticle
India’s demographic transition is underway, but its economic payoff remains far from guaranteed.
Apoorva Jadhav
- India’s Press Note 3 Gamble: Opening the FDI Door to ChinaArticle
On March 10, 2026, India’s Union Cabinet approved amendments to Press Note 3, a regulation that mandated government approval on all foreign direct investment (FDI) from countries sharing a land border with India. This amendment raises questions primarily about whether its stated benefits will materialize and if the risks have been adequately weighed. This piece will address the same.
Konark Bhandari
