US and China owe the world their best effort to avert war in East Asia

These agreements could pave the way for a formal trilateral military alliance in response to a regional conflict.

This contrasts with Western liberal democracies, where politics is more fluid and subject to regular elections. In a nutshell, these three authoritarian regimes are ready for war if their regime survival is threatened.

03:11

Mainland China launches PLA blockade around Taiwan, 3 days after William Lai speech

China has put forth substantial efforts to defend Korea in a variety of conflicts throughout history, such as the Imjin War and the first Sino-Japanese war. These were not only about territorial integrity but also influenced the fate of Taiwan. For instance, China’s inability to protect Korea in the first Sino-Japanese war led to the loss of Taiwan to Japan.

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Putin, Kim sign ‘strongest ever’ defence treaty amid growing tensions with the West

The key to preventing war in East Asia is for democratic countries to engage in dialogue with the three authoritarian regimes without threatening their regime stability. If the survival of their regimes is at risk, war becomes inevitable and the consequences could be catastrophic for the world. It would be a strategic mistake for the West to set regime change as the goal.

East Asia stands on the brink of war. All potential warring parties must contribute to peace efforts before it is too late. In particular, China and the US hold special responsibilities in this endeavour for peace, and they must get their relationship right.

Zhang Xiaotong is a professor at Department of Political Science and International Relations and director of the China and Central Asia Studies Center at KIMEP University, Kazakhstan