About this item
The first book to comprehensively break down the politics and tensions among the countries of the western Pacific, by a foreign correspondent who has witnessed it firsthandIn the sphere of modern international politics, few regions have been as hotly contested as Asia, an area that President Trump now defines as the Indo-Pacific. Across the 1.5 million square mile expanse of the South China Sea, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Taiwan claim sovereign waters. China, Vietnam, and Indonesia also lay claim to the trade routes and islands of these waters. Some have deployed their own military garrisons to these remote islands and reefs, creating friction between the countries that has escalated in recent years. But no South China Sea government can take on China alone, and as China gains power in both trade and military outposts, they look to the United States for protection.
About the Author
Humphrey Hawksley's brand-new international thriller series begins in paperback in October 2019 with MAN ON ICE a knuckle-whitening drama set on the remote and wild US-Russian border. In early, 2020 comes the nail-biting MAN ON EDGE set on the Norway-Russian border followed in 2021 by MAN ON FIRE whose location is yet to disclosed. Rake Ozenna, a native of Little Diomede island in Alaska is the series hero. Each thriller includes trauma surgeon, Dr Carrie Walker, American intelligence contractor, Harry Lucas, and his ex-wife, British businesswoman and diplomat, Stephanie Lucas. Humphrey's thrillers have been widely praised. Steve Berry describes 'authentic settings, non-stop action' from MAN ON ICE. Lee Child speaks of SECURITY BREACH as 'high stakes, high octane' and Alan Furst as a 'hard-driving, a good taut thriller' -- right back to the first future history thriller DRAGON STRIKE: THE MILLENNIUM WAR which Steve Coonts hailed as 'ominous and insightful.' His recent non-fiction ASIAN WATERS: THE STRUGGLE OVER THE INDO_PACIFIC AND THE CHALLENGE TO AMERICAN POWER a has been acclaimed on every continent by those at the heart of global decision-making, such as Indian cabinet minister, Hardeep Puri; the last governor of Hong Kong Baron Lord Patten of Barnes; and Dr Wu Shicun, President of China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies. China's rise is a fast developing story, and Humphrey is currently working on an updated edition which is due out in June 2020. Humphrey's work as a BBC foreign correspondent has taken him all over the world with postings in Beijing, Hong Kong, Manila, Delhi and Colombo. He has contributed to ABC, National Public Radio and other networks in the United States and global publication of his work includes the Financial Times, New York Times, Yale Global, Nikkei Asian Review and others.
