Since recently, we have been witnessing the term “Indo-Pacific” being used more often than “Asia-Pacific” in the context of global affairs. Oftentimes this new tendency is viewed as a result of recent shifts in the focus by the West in its engagement with the countries of the Pacific region and Asia. Generally speaking, the use of the new term reflects the affirmation of a new common set of principles and priorities in the policy of the West in relation to the region. This conceptual change, however, should be clarified a little bit in order for us to understand a wider context and its possible implications.
