'Asia Alone' Warns Against Divide
A Rising Asia Needs Balance
To set up an interview with Simon, feel free to contact Asia Society communications at [email protected] or 212-327-9271. Video of his book talk is here.
Media Contact For Book: Camy Boey (+65) 6460-4257 [email protected], John Wiley & Sons
Singapore – Asia divided from America: a scenario many hope will not happen. However, such a division is becoming increasingly probable as post-crisis trends seem to point toward a divorce of the two economies as Asia steams ahead in forging its own path, without America. The Asia-America partnership, valuable and indeed critical to both since the end of the Second World War, may cease precipitately if a new engagement and rebalancing act is not reached.
Author Simon Tay—Asia Society Bernard Schwartz Fellow in 2008-2009—shares his perspectives gained from many years of observation and involvement at the highest levels in his new book, Asia Alone: The Dangerous Post-Crisis Divide from America (ISBN: 978-0-470-82582-2; John Wiley & Sons (Asia) Pte Ltd). In this lucidly written and thought-provoking book, Tay highlights the accelerating trends toward America’s decoupling with Asia and presents a penetrating analysis of why Asia and America are still and shall continue to be codependent. He also describes the path forward, including new policy directions as well as shifts in underlying attitudes on each side required to avoid this separation and to achieve a shared future.
As Asia develops economically and begins to cooperate and take a greater stake in the regional and world order, America must engage with Asia in context and as co-equals. Asia, on the other hand, would have to be more united as a region but still interdependent with a powerful and confident America. Both sides must be ready to shift from the status quo of a dominant America and a disunited Asia in order to continue to gain from their interdependence in economics, business, politics and security.
The future will be fundamentally different from the past, and new ways must be found to bridge the emerging divide between Asia and America and rebalance their relationship. This balance will shape, for better or for worse, the coming years for Asians and Americans in the post-crisis world. Policy-makers, strategic managers, and commentators need to understand the past, present and future of this Pacific basin relationship which, if managed well, can survive the Great Recession, the growth of Chinese power, and the end of unipolarity.
CNN’s Fareed Zakaria describes Simon Tay as "one of the most intelligent and reliable guides to the region." Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Susan Shirk says "Tay's vision of how to remake the partnership so that it works better for both the United States and Asia should be essential reading for businesspeople and diplomats alike."
The full release is attached below, including information on the publisher and receiving a review copy of the book. Plus, visit the book's website.
Simon S.C. Tay LLM (Harvard) LLB Hons (NUS) is a public intellectual focusing on international and public affairs. He chairs the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, a leading independent think tank in Asia. Simon is concurrently an associate professor in the National University of Singapore at both the Faculty of Law and the LKY School of Public Policy, and has taught at Harvard Law School, Yale University and the Fletcher School. In 2009, he was based at the Asia Society in New York City as the Schwartz Fellow and continues as the Society's Global Council co-chair. He has previously written or edited five books on international law and public policy. Simon has appeared on CNN, BBC, CNBC, and Bloomberg and published in leading newspapers and academic journals. He has spoken at many international meetings, including the World Economic Forum (Davos) and the APEC CEO Summit. Simon has served as a Member of Parliament in Singapore and initiated the Singapore Volunteers Overseas, the country's equivalent of the Peace Corps. He is also an award-winning author of stories and essays.