Introduction : thinking about strategy in Asia / by Aaron L. Friedberg -- Asia as a warfighting environment / by Roy Kamphausen -- The cyclical nature of Chinese seapower / by Bruce Elleman -- Chinese maritime geography / by Toshi Yoshihara -- Mahan and the South China Sea / by James R. Holmes -- The US alliance structure in Asia / by Michael R. Auslin -- Strategy and culture / by Colin S. Gray -- The Chinese way of war / by Andrew R. Wilson -- The Japanese way of war / by S.C.M. Paine -- The Indian way of war / by Timothy D. Hoyt -- Military modernization in Asia / by Richard A. Bitzinger -- The economic context of strategic competition / by Bradford A. Lee -- Nuclear deterrence in Northeast Asia / by Michael S. Chase -- Arms races and long-term competition / by Thomas G. Mahnken -- Irregular warfare in Asia / by Michael Evans -- Conclusion : toward a research agenda / by Thomas G. Mahnken, Dan Blumenthal, and Michael Mazza.