How do Asian states navigate the complex terrain between international legal obligations and strategic national interests in matters of war and peace? What justifications are invoked to wage war, and what are the legal frameworks used to restore peace? Do bilateral settlements comply with and support the development of international law, or do they undermine it? This comprehensive study examines conflict and peace-building across Asia since 1945, providing a distinctly Asian perspective on international law and relations. Written by an eminent Asian international jurist, scholar and former diplomat, the book considers how Asian history, including the region's experience of colonialism, shapes ideas of international order. The book considers rules against the threat or use of force; management of sovereignty disputes over borders and territories; insurgencies or conflicts arising from groups seeking self-determination; annexations of one State's territory by another State; conflicts under the guise of "humanitarian intervention" and the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine; self defence against terrorists and non-State actors who are driven by ideology; and armed intervention by invitation. The study reveals how Asian states balance principles with strategic realities, offering scholars, policymakers, and practitioners crucial insights into conflict dynamics in this geopolitically volatile region.
