I set off to western, east and Southeast Asia a few weeks ago, in part to get a sense of social change and transformation in that part of the world as the locus of global power tilts from west to east. The complete shift is probably at least a decade away, when it is expected that the US will be replaced by China and/or India as prime rule-maker in the multilateral system that holds together the global political economy. Before this shift is complete there will probably be military and geostrategic pushing and shoving between the US and China.

As a footnote, I would love to be a fly on the wall in Bali, Indonesia, when the Group of 20 meet in November, if only to see the reception the Russian delegation receives. Alas, I will be at home and watch it all play out online...

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