In the foreseeable future we are unlikely to see the sort of conflation of sovereign states in East Asia that has occurred in Europe, according to this book.

We must anticipate that, for the foreseeable future, the requirement will be for the sensible management and containment of competitive instincts. The establishment of a multilateral security body in East Asia that includes all the key players, and which the major powers invest with the authority to tackle the shaping of the regional security order, remains a critical piece of unfinished business.

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