Overview of Document:
The publication asserts that the Asia-Pacific region is becoming more important to the United States and the world as a geopolitical shift towards the region is taking place, both politically and economically. However, Asia has only gotten American attention during times of crisis. The United States has so far relied mostly on its bilateral alliances in the Asia-Pacific region. However, the trend in the Asia-Pacific region is moving towards multilateral arrangements and unless the United States actively engages itself in these arrangements, the US is likely to lose out.
The publication is divided into three sections:
1. The Asia-Pacific Security Environment: Recognizing the rise of democracies in Asia, the more significant rise is that of China (CHN), and how to manage its assertiveness in the region. There have also been other changes in the Asia-Pacific region that warrants some discussion. The normalization of Japan (JPN), the resurgence of Asian economies, concerns over nuclear proliferation, and counterterrorism, are subject areas where Asia is rising in significance. Depending on how the US engages Asia will determine how much influence the US will able to project in the Asia-Pacific region.
2. Strategic Imperatives Guiding US Asia-Pacific Strategy and how the US needs to meet these challenges: The document does get specific with some of those challenges but the major changes that need to happen is the following:
- Attendance by high-level US officials to regional multilateral meetings such as the ASEAN. Failure to attend sends a message of disinterest to countries that have expressed an interest in such arrangements.
- Avoid an “us versus them” mentality among allies in regards to CHN.
- Strengthen bilateral relations with existing allies and potential ones in the region and a rundown of those nations: JPN, Republic of Korea (KOR), Australia (AUS), the Philippines (PHL), Thailand (THA), Singapore (SGP), Indonesia (IDN), India (IND), Taiwan (TWN) (not a UN member state), and Russia (RUS). Strengthen relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
- Increase coordination with nations with experience dealing with radical Islam by promoting understanding. The key method here is through soft power.
- Promote free trade starting with the Korean-US Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA).
- Increase cooperation on non-traditional security challenges such as energy security and climate change. Asia, more specifically CHN, are becoming larger consumers of energy.
3. Building Mature Partnerships: Clarifying Expectations: This is once again a rundown of specific countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and what our expectations of them should be, and what they should expect of the United States.
Analysis and Review
The Center for a New American Security | The United States and the Asia-Pacific Region: Security Strategy for the Obama Administration is a fairly quick read. It is repetitive at times. The publication gets specific with certain countries and multilateral organizations and their relationships with the US, and is fairly useful in getting a quick look. There is a nice chart that shows the regional multilateral organizations and where the US is engaged, and where it is absent.
There is no denying the rising importance of Asia. People will be hard pressed to find scholars in international relations that are willing to disregard this. It is especially harder to ignore, with CHN expanding its relations beyond the Asia-Pacific region. Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America are experiencing increased Chinese attention, as CHN not only seeks to secure natural resources as their industrial demands increase, but also as potential markets for their goods. What kind of CHN, as a major power, will emerge is a good question. There are examples of irresponsible expansion and behavior by CHN, but it is not completely without reason. How the US and the rest of the world engages CHN, will determine if CHN will become a constructive partner in dealing with global challenges. This alone is a good enough reason to read this publication, but it is not the only country in focus.
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The document is available at the Center for a New American Security website (http://www.cnas.org/node/723). Minimalist erudite vade mecum does not distribute copyrighted material. Should the publication no longer be accessible, the user can contact the publisher of the document.
Filed under: Asia , ASEAN, Australia, Bilateral Alliances, Center for a New American Security, CNAS, Energy Security, Free Trade Agreement, humanitarian assistance, Indonesia, Japan, Multilateral Arrangements, North Korea, People's Republic of China, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, United States of America
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