China-US Great-Power Rivalry: The Competitive Dynamics of Order-Building in the Indo-Pacific Lai-Ha Chan and Pak K. Lee (eds).

This article reviews an edited volume by Lai-Ha Chan and Pak K. Lee that analyzes China–US competition in shaping the Indo-Pacific regional order, focusing on Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative and the US-led Free and Open Indo-Pacific as rival projects. The volume distinguishes between order contestation—ongoing struggles over regional influence—and order transition, noting that a shift from US to Chinese dominance has not yet occurred. Through nine case studies of Indo-Pacific countries and institutions, the book highlights the agency of smaller and middle powers, such as India's resistance to US-led frameworks and diverse hedging strategies by US allies like Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. It also addresses the role of competing narratives in legitimizing regional initiatives, illustrating how these deepen divisions between China and the US. The work contributes to understanding the complexities of great power rivalry and regional dynamics in the Indo-Pacific.