Scan barcode
suzukabunny's review against another edition
5.0
I'm an Indonesian. This book gives me a different perspectives toward South China Sea. Indonesia is not in a claim contesting around the Sea. We even renamed it to North Natuna Sea. But this book gives me perspectives that maybe the roots is not about the 9-dash-line, but more about hope and nationalism.
neuroqueer_af's review against another edition
5.0
Kaplan manages to avoid writing a dry, dull book by bringing the histories of various countries to life, and using those histories to explain said countries' viewpoints on the South China Sea issue. This is well worth a read for anyone who is interested in this part of the world.
kontramundum's review against another edition
3.0
Insightful primer on the geopolitical relationship between China and Southeast Asia. Being Malaysian, the chapter on Malaysia was of particular interest, as it allowed me to gauge the accuracy and depth of Kaplan's analysis.
Unfortunately there are glaring mistakes littered throughout the chapter, e.g. "Chinese and Indians know Malay, but the Malays, whose Islamic fervor is felt mainly in the cities, speak no Chinese and Hindi." First, the Indians in Malaysia are generally of South Indian origin and speak mainly Tamil, not Hindi. Second, the "Islamic fervor" is actually weaker in the cities than the less developed eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia where the Malay-Muslim population is concentrated and where the Pan-Islamic Malaysian Party (PAS) has very strong support (and where it rules the state of Kelantan). Third, there is no such language as Chinese; Malaysian Chinese speak Mandarin and southern Chinese dialects such as Cantonese and Hokkien.
Nitpicking maybe? Perhaps Kaplan isn't an expert on Malaysia, but it made me question his accuracy on the other countries in the book and on the whole issue. Admittedly, I might also have been biased when reading this book as Kaplan came across as a not very well-disguised American apologist.
Well worth a read nonetheless. Moving on to Bill Hayton's "The South China: The Struggle for Power in Asia" next.
Unfortunately there are glaring mistakes littered throughout the chapter, e.g. "Chinese and Indians know Malay, but the Malays, whose Islamic fervor is felt mainly in the cities, speak no Chinese and Hindi." First, the Indians in Malaysia are generally of South Indian origin and speak mainly Tamil, not Hindi. Second, the "Islamic fervor" is actually weaker in the cities than the less developed eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia where the Malay-Muslim population is concentrated and where the Pan-Islamic Malaysian Party (PAS) has very strong support (and where it rules the state of Kelantan). Third, there is no such language as Chinese; Malaysian Chinese speak Mandarin and southern Chinese dialects such as Cantonese and Hokkien.
Nitpicking maybe? Perhaps Kaplan isn't an expert on Malaysia, but it made me question his accuracy on the other countries in the book and on the whole issue. Admittedly, I might also have been biased when reading this book as Kaplan came across as a not very well-disguised American apologist.
Well worth a read nonetheless. Moving on to Bill Hayton's "The South China: The Struggle for Power in Asia" next.
tsharris's review against another edition
2.0
Very disappointing. Could have been a much better book given the policymakers Kaplan had access to - could have been more about the dilemmas facing Southeast Asian states that are deeply economically integrated with China despite security tensions. But Kaplan wrote a boring, cliche-ridden tract. The book is at its best when Kaplan lets his interlocutors speak for themselves. Kaplan's own analysis is wretched: pseudo-macho, realpolitik claptrap that mocks liberals and journalists and intellectuals with their concern for democracy and human rights and engages in the power worship common to many realists. His pose as a disciple of Samuel Huntington is awful: parrots Huntington's "civilizations" reductionism, his disdain for liberal values, and his admiration of military men.
The funny thing is, though, that at times Kaplan's analysis is spot on. He frequently downplays the risks of conflict in the region, stressing Mearsheimer's "stopping power of water." Again, it would have been possible to write a much better book.
The funny thing is, though, that at times Kaplan's analysis is spot on. He frequently downplays the risks of conflict in the region, stressing Mearsheimer's "stopping power of water." Again, it would have been possible to write a much better book.
liberrydude's review against another edition
4.0
Took me awhile to absorb all this insightful discussion on the now and future of the Western Pacific. Kaplan should be the NSA for POTUS; not those unknowledgeable amateurs Obama has employed. Kaplan has chapters on each of the major players except for Indonesia, Australia, and India. These would include: Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Taiwan. It's all about China feeling entitled to a sphere of influence with Vietnam being the most aggressive in push-back. He starts out with a chapter about Indian influence in Vietnam and ends with an epilogue in Borneo. He never really discusses India as a naval power which is surprising since he makes a big deal about the linking or connecting of the two spheres of influence, India and China, in the South China Sea. There's a naval race going on in this area much like the European powers conducted in between the world wars. And nobody knows about it in the media or press. Except for China's close encounters with the US Navy it's pretty much the big story that nobody seems to care about in the American public. Japan's navy is bigger than the UK. Who would have known that? Vietnam and Malaysia are buying submarines and so is Singapore, which has mandatory conscription. All to contend with China. The Philippines is the most bereft of all the players. The rise of China is inevitable and it will be interesting to see if internal matters or economic matters will dissuade or distract China from its intense naval build-up. China's claims for areas in the South China Sea seem pretty unrealistic from both history and geography. Just like Ethiopia and Eritrea fought over dirt, some of the boundary disputes here are over islands that are submerged half the time. Wonder what global warming and rising water levels will do to China's plan.
moorelaborate's review against another edition
3.0
A little military heavy, particularly in the beginning, this book gives a quick overview of the geopolitical scene while providing interesting relevant histories of the governments as well.
bakudreamer's review against another edition
2.0
Maybe GitS got it right ( again ) with ' The Second Vietnam War '