The Pacific Basin is rapidly becoming the center of international relations, both from a economic and political perspectives. This region holds the majority of the world's population (China alone concentrates more than 18% of the people), it is the most important hub of foreign trade and it has some of the most economically powerful countries (China, Japan and India).
When it comes to security issues, it is worth noting that China has currently the second biggest military budget after the USA. Furthermore, the region has several territorial disputes (such as those of the Taipei-China relations and the South China Sea) which could destabilaze not only the regional political scenario, but also world politics.
The importance of the Pacific in world politics was acknowledged by Obama's Administration "Pivot to East Asia" strategy. This strategy would pay more attention to the East Asia Region over the traditional focus on the Middle East and Atlantic relations.
The impact that this shift has on geopolitics are: a growing influence of China on world issues and over other regions such as Latin America and Africa and increasing engagement of the USA in East Asia which could eventually result in disputes with China (such as the ongoing "trade war")
