The United States must go beyond ‘baby steps’ in infrastructure as China builds strong bonds in Asia, says former US ambassador
- Former US ambassador to Vietnam David Shear says Washington needs to devote more resources and attention to its Indo-Pacific strategy if it’s to match Beijing’s growing influence
The United States is offering little to counter China’s massive infrastructure drive, failing to invest the attention and resources needed to make its Indo-Pacific strategy a major force in the region, according to David Shear, a former US ambassador to Vietnam.
Shear, who was also assistant secretary of defence for Asian and Pacific security affairs from 2014 to 2016, said China and the US were competing for dominance in the region and both countries needed to build strong bonds with regional leaders.
“[But] it’s not clear to what extent [US President Donald Trump] is committed to the strategy,” he told the South China Morning Post.
Trump first drew attention to the strategy in 2017 in what was widely seen as a response to China’s growing economic and political influence in the Asia-Pacific through infrastructure, investment and energy deals.
The strategy covers an area from the US west coast to Southeast Asia and India, and was supported by US$113 million in development initiatives and the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act, legislation meant to foster economic and security ties with six of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ 10 members.