Paul Musgrave has an excellent summary of recent developments in East Asia.
The East Asian security story is the most consequential of this decade. China is rising to power; North Korea's regime is clinging for life to a nuclear life raft; South Korea is moving away from the United States; Japan is seeking to counter Chinese and Korean economic and military potential; and the United States is seeking to preserve American power in the region. The flashpoints described above will remain live issues as long as the equilibria in the region are unstable.
Bold claim for a decade that includes 9/11. Read the whole thing.