Volume II Issue 1
Throughout much of history, East Asia has stood as one of the world’s principal centers of population, economic vitality, cultural production, and political power. China, in particular, functioned as a vast imperial entity with a sophisticated civilization from antiquity, contributing approximately one-third of global GDP as late as 1820. Likewise, Japan and Korea developed enduring traditions of statehood and cultural identity, underpinned by considerable economic strength.
The ascendancy of the West following the Industrial Revolution temporarily shifted the global center of gravity, leading to a relative decline in East Asia’s prominence. Nonetheless, Japan swiftly adapted to Western pressures, launching an ambitious modernization project that transformed it into a major industrial power by the close of the 19th century. Korea’s path to development was significantly hindered by colonial subjugation, war, and national division. However, from the 1960s onward, South Korea embarked on a trajectory of rapid economic and technological advancement. China, the region’s demographic and territorial giant, was the last to initiate large-scale development reforms. Yet, from the late 1970s, its economic transformation generated far-reaching global consequences. Today, East Asia remains a region of growing strategic and economic influence: China has sustained the world’s fastest growth rate among major economies, South Korea has emerged as a global leader in high technology, and Japan, despite maturing growth, continues to rank as the third-largest economy globally.
The accelerated development of East Asia has become a central factor in the articulation of the concept of a Eurasian supercontinent. Historically, Europe constituted one pole of global power. With Japan’s emergence from semi-periphery status, followed by South Korea and later China, East Asia now stands as a counterbalancing pole on the continent’s eastern flank. This dual-core structure not only intensifies the strategic and economic linkages between Western Europe and East Asia but also repositions the intermediary regions of the continent, offering new potential for integration and development. The increasing interconnectedness of these two core regions underlines East Asia’s pivotal role as a driving force in shaping the future of Eurasia.
In light of these dynamics, it is both timely and warranted to dedicate this issue of Eurasia Era to East Asia. Through this focus, we aim to contribute to the dissemination of reliable, research-based knowledge on the region, to foster a deeper understanding of its internal dynamics, and to support informed political and economic decision-making. In an increasingly complex global landscape, sustained attention to developments in East Asia remains not only relevant but indispensable.
The complete edition of Eurasia Era Volume II Issue 1 can be downloaded below: