ROLE OF MINILATERAL AGREEMENTS IN INDO-PACIFIC POLICY OF THE US AND CHINA

The Indo-Pacific region is in the process of forging a regional identity and order. Multilateral agreements such as ASEAN, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Agreement, and others play an important role in this process. The role of minilateral agreements in the architecture of regional order has been studied to a lesser extent. The article provides a theoretical justification of the role of minilateralism as a model of cooperation in integration processes and the organization of regional order. Using the example of the U.S. strategy in the Indo-Pacific region, the article studies the role of the hub-and-spokes alliance model and the latticework model. China's aspirations for global and regional leadership and expanding influence are reflected in its approach to minilateralism. The article proves this through the example of the Lancang-Mekong Agreement. Medium and small states in the region use minilateral agreements to diversify their relations with the rival US and China. For these states, participation in minilateral agreements is important for strengthening their agency and asserting their national interests through the foreign policy tools of hedging, bamboo diplomacy, and balancing. Furthermore, minilateral agreements are effective in solving local problems of pollution control, disaster management, etc.