The Trans-Pacific Partnership: The U.S. Response to the Rise of China?

Abstract

The ascendancy of China has threatened the current hegemonic position of the United States. The U.S. has responded by engaging deeper with countries in the region of Asia-Pacific, strategically and economically. The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a part of the U.S. economic engagement in the region. Based on the realist theory of state action by Mastanduno et al, this paper argues that the Trans-Pacific Partnership is a natural strategy of the U.S. due to its international and domestic power position. TPP will benefit the U.S. as a future trading template in Asia-Pacific.