Abstract

The rise of Asia in world politics has been inviting heated questions about what implications Asian countries may have for international law and global governance. Whether it will be a blessing or a curse, Asian countries are requested to take their positions toward post‐Westphalian possibilities. Once the main target of Western imperialism and colonialism, Asian countries have been waiting a considerable amount of time to mark their distinctive voices in world politics. With material capabilities, such as rapid economic growth and cutting‐edge technologies, Asian countries attempt to shape international governance structure according to their interests, ideologies, and philosophies. In this course, Eastphalia, which is suggested as an alternative governance system to supplant the Westphalian system, is strongly advocated by powerful Asian countries, including China. However, it is not desirable to understand that Eastphalia only stresses the interests of Asian countries and peoples. Eastphalia is not coined for the interests of Asian countries and peoples only. To the contrary, Eastphalia is crafted to inform Asian countries of what path should be taken to materialize post‐Westphalian possibilities. The successful transition from Westphalia to Eastphalia ultimately depends on whether Eastphalia could actively reflect post‐Westphalian possibilities, especially protection and promotion of human rights under the idea of human security.