The Asia-Pacific region is rapidly emerging as the global economic and political powerhouse of the twenty-first century. Looking at both Southeast and East Asia, this richly illustrated volume stresses broad, cross-cutting themes of regional history, with an emphasis on the interactions between cultures and nations. In this updated third edition, Mark Borthwick provides a significantly revised introduction, which places the contemporary rise of China within the context of the political, cultural, and economic evolution of the region since ancient times. He then considers more recent developments in their historical context, balancing national and international factors underlying Asia-Pacific economic growth and political change. New areas receiving attention in the third edition include Japan's recovery from economic stagnation, Japan's new political landscape, China's economic transformation and leadership in East Asian regionalism, the North Korean crisis, and the Asia-Pacific impact on the global economic system. The book also provides chronological updates for Cambodia, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Borthwick concludes with an examination of the key domestic and international issues facing the nations of Pacific Asia and the growing influence of these nations on North America and the world economy. Book jacket.