US must reboot its Asia 'rebalance' with more high-level engagement
Timothy Adamson, Michael Brown and Robert Sutter say Obama's trip to region is a start, but more high-level diplomacy is needed
President Barack Obama's trip to Asia comes at a critical point for the region. When the administration signalled a "rebalance to Asia" in US foreign policy during the president's first term, many countries in the region welcomed the military, economic and diplomatic steps taken by the US to guarantee regional stability in view of the rise of China.
Unfortunately, the rebalance has faltered over the last 10 months due to a series of US policy setbacks and presidential miscues.
Given China's emergence as an economic and military power, the United States must take concrete steps to demonstrate its commitment to Asia
In June last year, revelations about the National Security Agency's surveillance programmes damaged US relations with key allies and undermined Washington's complaints about China's cyber behaviour. In August and September, Obama retreated from his "red line" in Syria, raising questions about his resolve. Later in September, the president barely mentioned Asia in his address to the UN General Assembly - hardly a good way to emphasise an explicit foreign policy priority.
In October, the federal government shutdown was a major blow to US credibility as a reliable strategic partner and fed into Chinese commentary of a "post-American world". Obama added to the damage by cancelling his trip to Asia, where he had been scheduled to attend important regional summits. Subsequently, the US response to China's November announcement of an air defence identification zone in the disputed East China Sea was too accommodating. The malaise continued this year, with the Pentagon announcing deep cuts in US defence spending.
These setbacks are not trivial, but they can be overcome. Obama needs to take several steps to reboot the rebalance.
First, the president and his advisers must recognise that the success of the rebalance depends on sustained and steady high-level engagement in the region. Policy mistakes and flip-flops are highly counterproductive.