The Oxford Handbook of International Law in Asia and the Pacific

The growing economic and political significance of Asia has exposed a tension in the modern international order. Despite expanding power and influence, Asian states have played a minimal role in creating the norms and institutions of international law; today they are the least likely to be parties to international agreements or to be represented in international organizations. That is changing. There is widespread scholarly and practitioner interest in international law at present in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as developments in the practice of states. The change has been driven by threats as well as opportunities. Transnational issues such as climate change and occasional flashpoints like the territorial disputes of the South China and the East China Seas pose challenges while economic integration and the proliferation of specialized branches of law and dispute settlement mechanisms have also encouraged greater domestic implementation of international norms across Asia. These evolutions join the long-standing interest in parts of Asia (notably South Asia) in post-colonial theory and the history of international law. The Oxford Handbook of International Law in Asia and the Pacific brings together pre-eminent and emerging specialists to analyse the approach to and influence of key states of the region, as well as whether truly 'Asian' trends can be identified and what this might mean for international order. "The growing economic and political significance of Asia has exposed a tension in the modern international order. Despite growing in power and influence, Asian states traditionally played a minimal role in creating the norms and institutions of international law. They were the least likely to be parties to international agreements or be represented in international organizations. That is changing. Today, there is widespread scholarly and practitioner interest in international law in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as developments in the practice of states. The change has been driven by threats as well as opportunities. On the threat side are transnational challenges such as climate change, in which the involvement of Asian states is essential, and occasional flashpoints such as the territorial disputes of the South China and the East China Seas. In terms of opportunities, economic integration and the proliferation of dispute settlement mechanisms have encouraged greater domestic implementation of international norms across Asia. These evolutions join a more long-standing interest in parts of Asia (notably South Asia) in post-colonial theory and the history of international law. This Oxford Handbook brings together pre-eminent and emergin2g specialists to analyse the approach and influence of key states in the region. It also explores whether truly 'Asian' trends can be identified and what this might mean for the international order."--Jaquette The growing economic and political significance of Asia has exposed a tension in the modern international order. Despite expanding power and influence, Asian states have played a minimal role in creating the norms and institutions of international law; today they are the least likely to be parties to international agreements or to be represented in international organizations. That is changing. There is widespread scholarly and practitioner interest in international law at present in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as developments in the practice of states. The change has been driven by threats as well as opportunities. Transnational issues such as climate change and occasional flashpoints like the the territorial disputes of the South China and the East China Seas pose challenges while economic integration and the proliferation of specialized branches of law and dispute settlement mechanisms have also encouraged greater domestic implementation of international norms across Asia. These evolutions join the long-standing interest in parts of Asia (notably South Asia) in post-colonial theory and the history of international law. The Oxford Handbook of International Law in Asia brings together pre-eminent and emerging specialists to analyse the approach to and influence of key states of the region, as well as whether truly 'Asian' trends can be identified and what this might mean for international order. This handbook surveys how international law is applied and interpreted in the Asia-Pacific region. It explores Asia's contribution to the development of international law and whether a distinct 'Asian' approach can be perceived