Since the NATO military intervention in Kosovo in 1999, the issue of whether and when it is acceptable for states to intervene forcefully to halt human rights violations in another state has become one of the most contentious subjects in managing contemporary international relations. With chapters on China, India, Japan, South Korea, and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) by scholars from those countries, this book presents a comparative analysis of Asian views on humanitarian intervention.

These views reflect five interrelated factors shared to varying degrees by Asian countries: historical experience, status as developing countries, status as small or weak states, problems with the West, and the concept of the “Asian way”. Contributors to this volume analyze these factors in an attempt to identify areas of consensus and divergence with a view to setting forth practical policy recommendations.

Contributors include Jia Qinggua (School of International Studies, Peking University, China), Jasjit Singh (Institute of Defense Studies and Analysis, India), Murata Koji, (Department of Politics, Doshisha University, Japan), Kim Sung-han (Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Korea), Rizal Sukma (Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Indonesia), and Simon S. C. Tay (Singapore Institute of International Affairs).