Essay and Discussion Questions from Regions of the World

East Asia & the Pacific High School Questions

Help students understand East Asia and the Pacific through these essay and discussion questions.

Questions

  1. How have Japanese and European colonization shaped East Asia and the Pacific?
  2. Why does China have such immense influence in the region?
  3. Assess the extent to which the region’s large population should be considered an asset or a liability.
  4. How has the standard of living in East Asia and the Pacific changed over time?
  5. What are the sources of geopolitical tension among the Northeast Asian countries?
  6. What is the political model developed by Singapore and adopted by China under Xi Jinping? How is it distinct from the political models of these countries’ neighbors?
  7. China, Japan, and the Four Asian Tigers all saw huge economic growth in the last few decades. What made this growth possible? How did these countries’ paths to economic success differ?
  8. Why is the South China Sea of such strategic importance in geopolitics? What countries are involved in territorial disputes over the sea?
  9. How have United States foreign policy goals in the region changed over time? 
  10. What should U.S. policy toward China be?
  11. What are the region’s greatest challenges?