Quadriga - The Asian Economies: Matchmaking at Summits

The Asia-Pacific region has held four summits within just one week – the APEC, ASEA, EAS, and the G-20. That’s a strong political statement that shows how the balance of power is shifting, and not just in the political and economic sphere. For the US, the four summits are a major opportunity to consolidate their position as leading partner and intermediary between the European and Asian economic blocs. With the US and Europe in the midst of tough negotiations regarding the TTIP free trade agreement, the Asian summits could help the US wring some concessions from recalcitrant European parliamentarians.

On the domestic scene, the summits are an opportunity for the embattled US president to notch up a few foreign policy and economic successes. By taking a leadership role and offering new solutions for the current global economic slump, the US president could get an infusion of positive publicity back at home – as well as some badly needed clout in the wake of the Republican’s recent electoral gains. But the US is no longer the only mover and shaker in the region, as is demonstrated by the new bilateral talks between China and Japan, and Russia and China.

For the US and the EU, the challenge is clear: can the Western alliances support the Asian states without ceding power to them entirely? And will Europe soon be nothing more than a spectator in what is the world’s most dynamic economic region?

Let us know what you think at: quadriga(at)dw.de

Our guests:

Tom Goeller– born 1958, he studied American History and Politics at the University of Bonn/ Germany. He has been a journalist for various media, among them BBC and ARD. From 1997 to 2004 he was a political analyst of international affairs with the German Weekly "Das Parlament" and the UScorrespondent in Washington, D.C.From November 2004 until end of 2010 he was the correspondent for Germanyof the USdaily “The Washington Times” and of the Egyptian monthly "Egypt Today". He now works as a freelance journalist and political analyst of US and Middle Eastern, as well as security affairs.

Mikko Huotari - taught at the University of Freiburg before joining the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), where he is now the Head of Programme Foreign Policy and Economic Relations. During his studies of International Politics and International Law in Freiburg, Nanjing and Shanghai, Huotari gained experience in policy-oriented China research at the German-Chinese Law Institute in Nanjing, the German Embassy in Beijing and the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP).

Jing Möll - studied in Beijing at the Institute of International Relations, Art and English, and later took degrees at the University of Bonn. Along the way she worked as an interpreter at international congresses and as a lecturer for Chinese. Möll has been living and working as a journalist in Berlin since 1999, where she also runs a gallery for modern Asian art and an agency that provides cultural and language services.