Asia's economic dynamism is beginning to find a parallel in the region's diplomacy, particularly where security is concerned. Indeed, we may now be "present at the creation", as former US Secretary of State Dean Acheson called his memoir, which described the construction of the post-World War II global security order.
This time, what is being created is a security order for Asia that reflects its newfound primacy in world affairs, though what that order will ultimately look like remains to be determined. Security has moved to the top of the regional agenda not only in response to China's rise, but also because the United States and the West will be leaving a gaping hole in Asia's security architecture when they remove their troops from Afghanistan, without first having established peace there.
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