With eye on China, East Asia warms to Obama the listener

As George W. Bush surveyed the wreckage of his failed US presidency early last year, he considered his dealings with China and East Asia generally to be among the highlights. A year on, his replacement, Barack Obama, is in a similar predicament after one of the most bruising starts to a presidency in modern US political history.

Despite facing the in-tray from hell from his first day in the White House, Obama has managed to build solid foundations for re-engaging the region, even if the complex relationships with China and Japan remain, at best, works in progress.

The striking sense of American political renewal and purpose offered by Obama in his historic election victory may have dimmed domestically amid the business of governing, but it still flickers in parts of the region.

South Korea, Indonesia, Australia, Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore, among others, have all shown signs of quietly warming to Obama's re-engagement theme, in part to balance a more powerful China.

By putting his faith in diplomacy over hawkishness, Obama has won praise within the staterooms of the region, even if his stance has yet to yield results with North Korea and Myanmar.

Obama's approach to broadening and deepening relations with Beijing while defending Washington's core interests cannot be separated from his dealings with the rest of the region. It is neither the stuff of diplomatic fireworks nor bold headlines; nonetheless, it speaks to one of the great questions of the moment. The realities of China's rise mean nations are struggling to find ways of improving relations with Beijing while enhancing their ability to stand up to Chinese pressure when needed.