在亞洲居優勢地位的國家總渴望建立一個區域金融制度，以取得獨有領導權。過去，日本在1960 年代建立亞洲開發銀行（ADB）並於1990 年代提出亞洲貨幣基金（AMF），皆是基於此立場，但現在積極建立區域制度的是中國。在此背景下，中國的亞洲基礎設施投資銀行（AIIB）並不是個令人驚訝的提議。關於AIIB 特別的是美國的反應。美國成功的從內部阻擋日本的AMF 提議，但她試圖從外部阻止中國卻失敗。組織結構，特別是優勢權力間的平等，對於否能成功建立制度也是重要的。當兩個（或以上）國家同意接受平等的立足點，區域制度則較容易存在。其他國家也會因為某組織並非由單一國家主導而感到安心。在亞洲開發銀行裡日本與美國是平等的且日本與中國在東協加三總體經濟研究辦公室（AMRO）與清邁倡議多邊化協議（CMIM）也是同等地位。除非美國與日本加入，否則亞洲基礎設施投資銀行有可能受到單一國家主導。

The dominant country in Asia always desires to establish a regional financial institution to assume some exclusive leadership. Japan, which established Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the 1960s and proposed Asian Monetary Fund (AMF) in the 1990s, was in such a position in the past, but it is now China that is keen to establish regional institutions. In this context, China’s Asia Infrastructure Investment bank (AIIB) is not a surprising proposal. What is unique with regard to AIIB is the reaction of the US. While it successfully blocked Japan’s AMF proposal from inside, it attempted to block AIIB from outside without success. Institutional configuration, especially the parity between the dominant powers, is also important for an institution to be successfully established. When two (or more) countries agree to accept equal footing, a regional institution is likely to come into existence. Other countries also feel comfortable with an organization where no single country becomes too dominant. There is parity between Japan and the US in ADB and that between Japan and China in ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) and Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization (CMIM). AIIB could be dominated by a single country, unless the US and Japan participate.