In Asian countries, Japan offers a vital hedge against the rival powers, as a source of capital, technology and aid. Over the past decade, Japanese foreign direct investment into asean countries has totalled $198bn, behind America’s $209bn, but beating China’s $106bn. Japanese firms covet South-East Asia’s growing markets, and policymakers see the region as a bulwark against Chinese expansionism.Asian geopolitics is often described in terms of two giants: America, the incumbent superpower, and China, a rising one, standing astride the region and competing to pull smaller countries to their sides, including the ten members of asean, the Association of South-East Asian Nations. Which country among the three is a trusted partner in Asian ?
