Includes index.

Contents: Part I: International resource politics in the Asia-Pacific Chapter -- 1. Introduction: Asia-Pacific resource politics between boom and crisis? -- 2. Natural resources in international politics? -- Part II: Governmental approaches to resource security in the Asia-Pacific -- 3. Consumer politics - resource mercantilism? -- 4. Producer politics - resource nationalism? -- 5. Regional politics - soft law cooperation? -- Part III: International resource conflicts in the Asia-Pacific Chapter -- 6. The Northeast Asian scramble for resource? -- 7. The Australia-China iron ore war? -- 8. Securitising rare earth minerals? -- Part IV: Regional resource futures -- 9. Conclusion: Asia-Pacific resource politics from boom to bust? -- Index.

Resource security is a new battleground in the international politics of the Asia-Pacific. With demand for minerals and energy surging, disputes are emerging over access and control of scarce natural resource endowments. Drawing on critical insights from political economy, this book explains why resources have emerged as a source of inter-state conflict in the region. Jeffrey Wilson shows how resources have emerged as a new cause of tension between key regional powers, including China, Japan, Indonesia, Russia and the United States. He focuses on three in-depth case studies of contemporary resource conflicts in Asia; the regional scramble for oil and gas, the 'iron ore war' between Australia and China, and the threat of rare earth minerals to economic and military security. International Resource Politics in Asia-Pacific will appeal to students and academics of international political economy, international relations and Asian studies. It will also be of interest to policymakers, practitioners, managers and analysts of the Asia-Pacific region.