<p>With high economic growth and increasing military capabilities of some of the Asian countries in the recent years, many are predicting that the Asian Century will come earlier than previously predicted. The discussion is a hot topic of discussion in many Asian countries.&nbsp;Especially, people of China and India are already preparing to lead the world. In Bangladesh, the economic and military growth of China and India are popular topics even in the remote rural areas. America&rsquo;s reluctance to address global matters, such as climate change issues has made the Asian people more optimistic about a possible Asian Century. The other day, a tea stall owner was telling me that he thinks the global leadership will soon be shifted to China. He told me that he has got the idea after reading some reports on the newspapers.</p>

<p>The idea of an Asian Century is the first thought to come in the mid to late 1980s.<strong> </strong>It is believed that the phrase is attributed to a 1988 meeting between People&#39;s Republic of China (PRC) leader Deng Xiaoping and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. In the meeting, Deng, reportedly, said &quot;In recent years people have been saying that the next century will be the century of Asia and the Pacific, as if that were sure to be the case. I disagree with this view. If we exclude the United States, the only countries in the Asia-Pacific region that are relatively developed are Japan, the &lsquo;four little dragons&rsquo;, Australia and New Zealand, with a total population of at most 200 million. &quot;&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>With high economic growth and increasing military capabilities of some of the Asian countries in the recent years, many are predicting that the Asian Century will come earlier than previously predicted.</h5>
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<p>But Deng&#39;s reading of the economic might of Asian powers will prove to be wrong over the years. The economic growth of some of the Asian countries is indeed impressive. In May this year, the International Monetary Fund in the Regional Economic Outlook for Asia and the Pacific estimated growth for the region to increase in 2017 to 5.5 per cent from 5.3 per cent in 2016. It also said that growth will remain strong at 5.4 per cent in 2018, as the region continues to be the leader of global growth.</p>

<p>Despite this high economic growth and other potentials, many fear that an Asian war might come first. The recent face off of China and India might be an indication that this notion is not baseless. It seems that things will get worse as both the countries took a hard line over the border disputes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The situation in the Kashmir front where India and Pakistan have long been engaged in a face-off has also been tense&nbsp;in the recent months. Often we read the news of exchanging fire between the border forces and there are casualties. Many fear that the two countries might go into a war over Kashmir issues in the coming years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There are fears that the South China Sea can turn into a battleground among major regional players in the coming years. Last month, when a US warship sailed near a disputed island in the South China Sea, Beijing protested of &ldquo;serious political and military provocation&rdquo;.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>If an Asian war comes before the Asian Century, the Asian Century will never come.</h5>
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<p>And, we have an increasingly rogue state- North Korea. On Friday, July 28, North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile that appears to have the range to hit major US cities. It seems that North Korea will not stop testing missile without any military intervention by the US.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There many other small regional disputes in other Asian countries which can transform into a full-scale war. If there is a large scale war between China and India, this might affect the whole region. Small neighboring countries of these two nations like Bangladesh will be seriously affected. Most importantly, a large scale and prolonged war will certainly slow down the economic growth to a great extent. The worst sufferer will be the world&rsquo;s half of the poor people whose home is Asia. It will take many years to recover from the effects of any possible large-scale and prolonged war in Asia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Asia has potentials to lead the world in the recent future there are also fears of a possible big war in Asia. If an Asian war comes before the Asian Century, the Asian Century will never come. Asian leaders have a very important role to play. People want sensible and pragmatic leadership from the Asian leaders. &nbsp;</p>


While Asia has potentials to lead the world in the recent future there are also fears of a possible big war in Asia.

With high economic growth and increasing military capabilities of some of the Asian countries in the recent years, many are predicting that the Asian Century will come earlier than previously predicted. The discussion is a hot topic of discussion in many Asian countries. Especially, people of China and India are already preparing to lead the world. In Bangladesh, the economic and military growth of China and India are popular topics even in the remote rural areas. America’s reluctance to address global matters, such as climate change issues has made the Asian people more optimistic about a possible Asian Century. The other day, a tea stall owner was telling me that he thinks the global leadership will soon be shifted to China. He told me that he has got the idea after reading some reports on the newspapers. The idea of an Asian Century is the first thought to come in the mid to late 1980s. It is believed that the phrase is attributed to a 1988 meeting between People's Republic of China (PRC) leader Deng Xiaoping and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. In the meeting, Deng, reportedly, said "In recent years people have been saying that the next century will be the century of Asia and the Pacific, as if that were sure to be the case. I disagree with this view. If we exclude the United States, the only countries in the Asia-Pacific region that are relatively developed are Japan, the ‘four little dragons’, Australia and New Zealand, with a total population of at most 200 million. " With high economic growth and increasing military capabilities of some of the Asian countries in the recent years, many are predicting that the Asian Century will come earlier than previously predicted. × But Deng's reading of the economic might of Asian powers will prove to be wrong over the years. The economic growth of some of the Asian countries is indeed impressive. In May this year, the International Monetary Fund in the Regional Economic Outlook for Asia and the Pacific estimated growth for the region to increase in 2017 to 5.5 per cent from 5.3 per cent in 2016. It also said that growth will remain strong at 5.4 per cent in 2018, as the region continues to be the leader of global growth. Despite this high economic growth and other potentials, many fear that an Asian war might come first. The recent face off of China and India might be an indication that this notion is not baseless. It seems that things will get worse as both the countries took a hard line over the border disputes. The situation in the Kashmir front where India and Pakistan have long been engaged in a face-off has also been tense in the recent months. Often we read the news of exchanging fire between the border forces and there are casualties. Many fear that the two countries might go into a war over Kashmir issues in the coming years. There are fears that the South China Sea can turn into a battleground among major regional players in the coming years. Last month, when a US warship sailed near a disputed island in the South China Sea, Beijing protested of “serious political and military provocation”. If an Asian war comes before the Asian Century, the Asian Century will never come. × And, we have an increasingly rogue state- North Korea. On Friday, July 28, North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile that appears to have the range to hit major US cities. It seems that North Korea will not stop testing missile without any military intervention by the US. There many other small regional disputes in other Asian countries which can transform into a full-scale war. If there is a large scale war between China and India, this might affect the whole region. Small neighboring countries of these two nations like Bangladesh will be seriously affected. Most importantly, a large scale and prolonged war will certainly slow down the economic growth to a great extent. The worst sufferer will be the world’s half of the poor people whose home is Asia. It will take many years to recover from the effects of any possible large-scale and prolonged war in Asia. While Asia has potentials to lead the world in the recent future there are also fears of a possible big war in Asia. If an Asian war comes before the Asian Century, the Asian Century will never come. Asian leaders have a very important role to play. People want sensible and pragmatic leadership from the Asian leaders.

Are we heading towards an Asian Century or an Asian war?

Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union and simmering discontent in other Western countries is seen as hastening the arrival of an &quot;Asian Century&quot;, analysts say, led by the rise of China and India.<br />
<br />
By 2050, Asia will account for over half the world&#39;s GDP, almost double that of 2011, according to the Asian Development Bank, with three billion newly affluent citizens.<br />
<br />
The EU and other powerful collectives such as the United Nations, NATO, IMF and World Bank hark back to the post-World War II era, with a vision of cooperation leading to peace, prosperity and security.<br />
<br />
But the churning currents of globalisation and institutions` reluctance to reform have left Asian nations feeling that they are not well-represented and looking to form new alliances.<br />
<br />
&quot;The old system which kept the West rich and safe is under threat,&quot; said Neelam Deo, a former ambassador and director at Gateway House think-tank in Mumbai.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&quot;The British voting to leave the EU in the way they did will impact the old institutions which were set up after World War II and intended to entrench Western power,&quot; she said.<br />
<br />
Brexit has summoned the spectre of a domino-like departure of other members of the EU, pounded by the migrant and Euro crises, as well as a fragmenting United Kingdom, should Scotland vote for independence.<br />
<br />
A resurgent Russia, which is angered by EU- and US-imposed sanctions and has friendly ties with China and India, has hailed the Brexit vote as it looks for cracks to exploit.<br />
<br />
As the &quot;American Century&quot; got underway after WWII, following imperial Britain before it, China was writhing in the chaos of civil war and colonial India was just gaining independence.<br />
<br />
Now China is the world`s second-largest economy, set to overtake the US in around a decade, while India will be the world`s most populous nation by 2022.<br />
<br />
The IMF named the Chinese renminbi a reserve currency -- a main world currency -- last November, joining the Pound, Dollar, Euro and Yen.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Rising economic stars Indonesia and the Philippines are growing at around five per cent a year, while Europe remains sluggish.<br />
<br />
Yet emerging markets argue that IMF voting reforms still don`t give them a big enough voice, while India laments its lack of a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Three centuries ago, before the industrial revolution, Asia was the dominant power, far away from the twin Atlantic centres.<br />
<br />
With a name that harks back to those days, Beijing`s flagship &quot;One Belt, One Road&quot; policy seeks to revive the ancient Silk Road trade route with huge investment from central Asia to Europe.<br />
<br />
In January, China opened the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank ( AIIB), seen as rivalling the World Bank or the Japan-led Asian Development Bank, seeking to expand its financial clout.<br />
<br />
Describing itself as &quot;a bank conceived for the 21st century&quot;, AIIB has attracted 57 members including Britain and Australia -- with the notable exclusions of the United States and Japan.<br />
<br />
Asia&#39;s growing clout rests on various assumptions, including that nations continue on the same economic trajectory and aren`t derailed by unforeseen financial crises.<br />
<br />
Other threats include rising inequality, the middle-income trap -- where an economy gets stuck at a certain stage of development -- and competition for natural resources.<br />
<br />
Tensions between rivals China and India were highlighted in June when Beijing blocked New Delhi`s entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group, a trade group of 48 nations.<br />
<br />
&quot;India and China have a fair amount of discontent. Until this is resolved, the Asian Century is going to be very elusive,&quot; C. Uday Bhaskar, a leading Indian security analyst told AFP.<br />
<br />
And the West will vigorously defend itself after Brexit, with US President Obama insisting at a NATO summit on Friday that the earthquake will not harm transatlantic unity.<br />
<br />
World Bank chief Jim Yong Kim used a visit to New Delhi in the aftermath to warn against nations &quot;looking inward&quot;.<br />
<br />
But the US is feeling similar pulls, with presidential candidate Donald Trump playing to a desire to retrench from globalisation and immigration by pledging to bring back manufacturing and build a wall with Mexico.<br />
<br />
Some see a drift back towards sovereign nation states hostile to outside forces -- seen in the mantra of &quot;take back control from Brussels&quot; that won the Brexit vote.<br />
<br />
&quot;We had this romantic vision to be one world -- it is clearly over, nation member states have come back with a vengeance,&quot; said Samir Saran, a senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi.<br />
<br />
&quot;It is something we are witnessing around the world.&quot;<br />
<br />
(AFP)

The Asian Development Bank says Asia will account for over half the world's GDP by 2050, almost double that of 2011

Britain's vote to leave the European Union and simmering discontent in other Western countries is seen as hastening the arrival of an "Asian Century", analysts say, led by the rise of China and India. By 2050, Asia will account for over half the world's GDP, almost double that of 2011, according to the Asian Development Bank, with three billion newly affluent citizens. The EU and other powerful collectives such as the United Nations, NATO, IMF and World Bank hark back to the post-World War II era, with a vision of cooperation leading to peace, prosperity and security. But the churning currents of globalisation and institutions` reluctance to reform have left Asian nations feeling that they are not well-represented and looking to form new alliances. "The old system which kept the West rich and safe is under threat," said Neelam Deo, a former ambassador and director at Gateway House think-tank in Mumbai. "The British voting to leave the EU in the way they did will impact the old institutions which were set up after World War II and intended to entrench Western power," she said. Brexit has summoned the spectre of a domino-like departure of other members of the EU, pounded by the migrant and Euro crises, as well as a fragmenting United Kingdom, should Scotland vote for independence. A resurgent Russia, which is angered by EU- and US-imposed sanctions and has friendly ties with China and India, has hailed the Brexit vote as it looks for cracks to exploit. As the "American Century" got underway after WWII, following imperial Britain before it, China was writhing in the chaos of civil war and colonial India was just gaining independence. Now China is the world`s second-largest economy, set to overtake the US in around a decade, while India will be the world`s most populous nation by 2022. The IMF named the Chinese renminbi a reserve currency -- a main world currency -- last November, joining the Pound, Dollar, Euro and Yen. Rising economic stars Indonesia and the Philippines are growing at around five per cent a year, while Europe remains sluggish. Yet emerging markets argue that IMF voting reforms still don`t give them a big enough voice, while India laments its lack of a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Three centuries ago, before the industrial revolution, Asia was the dominant power, far away from the twin Atlantic centres. With a name that harks back to those days, Beijing`s flagship "One Belt, One Road" policy seeks to revive the ancient Silk Road trade route with huge investment from central Asia to Europe. In January, China opened the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank ( AIIB), seen as rivalling the World Bank or the Japan-led Asian Development Bank, seeking to expand its financial clout. Describing itself as "a bank conceived for the 21st century", AIIB has attracted 57 members including Britain and Australia -- with the notable exclusions of the United States and Japan. Asia's growing clout rests on various assumptions, including that nations continue on the same economic trajectory and aren`t derailed by unforeseen financial crises. Other threats include rising inequality, the middle-income trap -- where an economy gets stuck at a certain stage of development -- and competition for natural resources. Tensions between rivals China and India were highlighted in June when Beijing blocked New Delhi`s entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group, a trade group of 48 nations. "India and China have a fair amount of discontent. Until this is resolved, the Asian Century is going to be very elusive," C. Uday Bhaskar, a leading Indian security analyst told AFP. And the West will vigorously defend itself after Brexit, with US President Obama insisting at a NATO summit on Friday that the earthquake will not harm transatlantic unity. World Bank chief Jim Yong Kim used a visit to New Delhi in the aftermath to warn against nations "looking inward". But the US is feeling similar pulls, with presidential candidate Donald Trump playing to a desire to retrench from globalisation and immigration by pledging to bring back manufacturing and build a wall with Mexico. Some see a drift back towards sovereign nation states hostile to outside forces -- seen in the mantra of "take back control from Brussels" that won the Brexit vote. "We had this romantic vision to be one world -- it is clearly over, nation member states have come back with a vengeance," said Samir Saran, a senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi. "It is something we are witnessing around the world." (AFP)

China, India eye 'Asian Century' as Brexit rattles old order

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Are we heading towards an Asian Century or an Asian war?

China, India eye 'Asian Century' as Brexit rattles old order