Final answer:
The New Imperialism heavily influenced modern relations between Asian and Western nations in terms of economic dependencies and the technological gap that emerged during imperial times. The economic legacies include power dynamics and trade agreements, while technological disparities have influenced development categories and international competitiveness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The era of New Imperialism, spanning from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, had several enduring effects on the relationships between Asian nations and Western powers. With European nations and the United States exerting control over vast geographic regions, the legacies of these times continue to shape international dynamics in various ways.
Economic Dependencies and Power Imbalances
One significant consequence of New Imperialism is the establishment of economic dependencies which continue to affect ties between the West and Asia. During the imperial period, Asian nations like China were partitioned for trade advantages by Western powers. This helped to expand America's empire in China through economic dominance rather than outright colonialism. These arrangements laid the groundwork for ongoing economic imbalances, where ex-imperial countries often maintained influential roles in the economies of their former colonies or spheres of influence. In present times, this manifests as trade agreements, foreign investments, and economic policies that still reflect a certain degree of entrenched power dynamics from the imperial era.
Technological Gap and Modern Development
A second aspect of the imperialism's legacy is the technological gap that was created and widened during this period. The advent of technological advancements in the West, which played a role in the subjugation of many Asian territories, also laid the basis for the modern classification of 'developed' and 'less-developed' regions. Many Western countries are perceived as more advanced, partly due to their imperial histories of exploitation and resource acquisition, which funded and fueled their technological progress. Conversely, the forced opening and restructuring of societies like China and Japan led these countries to modernize rapidly to compete with Western powers, influencing present day ambitions and global standings.