In the picture
Cover of Kent E. Calder's book Eurasian Maritime Geopolitics. The United States and China in an Age of Indo-Pacific Transformation (Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 2025), 332p.
Eurasian Maritime Geopolitics represents a B contribution B the discussion the Indo-Pacific and the rivalry between the United States and China. Kent E. Calder, a renowned specialist in East Asia, proposes that in order to understand contemporary skill , it is essential to look to the sea—in particular, to the routes connecting Northeast Asia with Europe via the Indian Ocean. The result a study that can be classified as a combination of classical geopolitics, Economics , and technological analysis; a guide useful guide for interpreting the transformation of the international system.
The book revolves around a fairly well-defined thesis : Eurasian maritime routes have taken on renewed and qualitatively different importance in the post-Cold War era. Calder argues that "much of the world's energy and information" flows through these corridors, making them critical arteries of the global order. Contrary to views that privilege land power or the primacy of abstract digital supply chains, the author insists on the persistence of physical geography and heavy maritime transport.
One of the most notable contributions—and one that has been positively highlighted in several reviews—is the way Calder integrates emerging technological factors. The book does not limit itself to analyzing oil and containers: it incorporates submarine cables, critical minerals, and the energy needs of artificial intelligence as elements that are reshaping the strategic value of the oceans. This broad perspective allows the author to show that undersea infrastructure is now as crucial as surface fleets. The work thus gains in relevance and avoids classic geopolitical determinism.
On a historical-structural level, Calder traces a narrative of relative American decline in the face of Chinese maritime rise. He highlights the decline in competitiveness of the US shipping and shipbuilding sector, contrasting it with Chinese dynamism. This comparison serves as the dramatic axis of the book: Washington appears as the 'gatekeeper', while Beijing emerges as the 'challenger' to the existing maritime order. The formulation, repeated throughout the work, has been praised for its analytical clarity, although some readers may see it as overly binary.
Another noteworthy aspect is the structure of the book. Calder moves from the physical geography of the routes to the political and security implications, touching on the Economics maritime flows and the transformation of the Eurasian rimlands. This gradual progression makes it easy to understand, even for non-specialist readers. In addition, the use of maps and tables—more than twenty, according to the publishing housereinforces the empirical nature of the study.
However, the work also has some limitations that are worth noting. First, its approach particularly on the rivalry between the United States and China, which tends to relegate the role of intermediate actors such as India, the Gulf countries, and Southeast Asia to a secondary position that is not so secondary in reality. Although they appear in the analysis, they often do so in terms of the Sino-American balance, rather than as strategic actors in their own right. In an increasingly multipolar international system, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, this simplification may be debatable for some.
Secondly, some readers may find that the book prioritizes the geoeconomic dimension over the military one. Calder emphasizes energy dependencies, undersea cables, and supply chains—which is a valuable contribution—but devotes less space to naval operational analysis or specific conflict scenarios. This is not necessarily a flaw, but it clearly reflects the goal audience: policymakers, security economists, and geoeconomic scholars rather than pure military strategists.
It should also be noted that the tone of the book is markedly prescriptive in its final chapters. Calder offers policy recommendations for the United States and its allies, which reinforces the internship usefulness internship the text but somewhat reduces its analytical neutrality. Even so, his proposals are consistent with the previous diagnosis and constitute one of the added values of the work.
Overall, Eurasian Maritime Geopolitics is a solid, well-documented, and timely study. Its main merit lies in reminding us that, despite the digitization of the Economics , control of maritime routes remains a structural factor in global power. By integrating technology, energy, and geography into a single framework , Calder offers a useful perspective for understanding strategic competition in the 21st century. In light of the events that occurred and are yet to occur in the Persian Gulf during March 2026, reading this book is more than timely.