Opinion | How the US can avoid another foreign policy failure – in Southeast Asia
- US strategy to enlist Southeast Asia in containing China by supporting their South China Sea claims against China is based on false premises and wishful thinking
- To truly build trust, the US needs to put Southeast Asia’s interests on a par with its own
America’s “ignominious exit” from Afghanistan reflects, according to one US columnist, “the failure of America’s foreign policy establishment at both prediction and policymaking”. Although probably not as spectacular, another US foreign policy failure looms in Southeast Asia.
The United States is striving to enlist the support of Southeast Asian countries in its efforts to contain and constrain China. A major element of its strategy is to support their maritime disputes with China.
Specifically, she offered material and training assistance to enhance Vietnam’s maritime defensive capacity, as well as more visits by US warships.
But this strategy is based on false premises and wishful thinking. One false premise is that US commitment to Southeast Asia is judged in part on whether it defends the region’s maritime rights.
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But Southeast Asia judges US involvement by its contribution to their interests – not to broader US strategic interests. Only five of the 10 Asean members have South China Sea claims and they are wary of US military involvement. US reliability is also a concern.