Why East Asia could be the new centre for peace and economic growth

A prominent Chinese political scientist, Yan Xuetong, believes East Asia is poised to become the global center for peace and economic growth. Speaking at a media event in Beijing on Thursday, Xuetong, who is also honorary president of Tsinghua University's Institute of International Relations, argued that a deteriorating global security situation and a widening rift between the United States and its European allies will elevate East Asia's international standing. He suggested that Europe is "no longer worth emulating" and that East Asia could surpass it as a model for progress. Xuetong also predicted that the global security situation will worsen over the next five years, irrespective of US-Iran negotiations.