International Relations Researches

International Relations Researches

Buck-passing System as a Security Order in East Asia: Requirements and Contexts for US Action

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Fatemeh Naghi Byranvand 1
Fariborz Arghavani Pirsalami 2
1 M.A. in International Relations, Department of Political Sciences, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
2 Associate Professor of International Relations, Department of Political Sciences, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
10.22034/irr.2025.534887.2729
Abstract
The evolving geopolitical crisis in East Asia, coupled with China's rise as a global power, has prompted the United States to adopt the Buck-passing strategy to manage the regional security order in response to emerging challenges. This article examines the structure of the East Asian security order, analyzes the United States' approach to shaping this order, and explores the requirements and contexts reflected in the implementation of the US Buck-passing strategy. The study utilizes a descriptive-explanatory methodology, drawing on the theoretical frameworks of Buck-passing and regional order theory. The findings suggest that the East Asian security order is shaped by requirements at national, regional, and global levels, encompassing military, political, and economic interests, the development of regional institutions, and the transition from a unipolar to a multipolar system. Furthermore, the implementation of the US Buck-passing strategy is grounded in the domestic capacities of regional states and the influence of regional and international institutions.
Keywords
Buck-passing system
security order
East Asia
region
United States of America
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