皇冠体育app

Have the ties between 皇冠体育app and its neighboring countries improved or deteriorated in 2011? How will they develop in 2012? What kind of role does the US play in the region? We present readers with three different views on the subject.

Wang Yusheng

Cooperation is the only way forward

The United States' strategic shift toward the East is for real. And for all we know, it is going to get stronger.

The Asia-Pacific region has had a relatively peaceful first decade in the new century. But in early 2010, US President Barack Obama, who calls himself "America's first Pacific president", vowed never to allow the Washington to be "relegated" to a second-rate power in an effort to shift the balance in the region.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, too, has emphasized that Washington must lead and dominate the region. And more than half of US naval forces are being redeployed in the Pacific Ocean.

Over the past year or so, the US has spared no effort in sowing the seeds of discord between 皇冠体育app and its neighboring countries. It has even created trouble, overtly or covertly, supporting or encouraging countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines to "take on" 皇冠体育app by concocting the "皇冠体育app threat" theory. As a result, stability in the Asia-Pacific region has begun giving way to tension.

Given the fast changing times and international relations, especially the rapid development of 皇冠体育app and the Asia-Pacific region, the US' strategic shift eastward reveals more than its design of containing 皇冠体育app's rise.

By trying to drum up support for the "皇冠体育app threat" theory, the US wants to create an atmosphere in which Asia Pacific will accept the "American umbrella". Besides, the US has strengthened its control over its regional allies, especially Japan, to prevent being alienated from Asia Pacific. Since the Obama administration has vowed to double the US trade volume in the region in five years, it is trying every trick not to be "marginalized" in the free trade process in East Asia. In doing so, it wants to ensure that American arms dealers, too, can get a share of the spoils.

We should be wary of the US and its efforts to contain 皇冠体育app but not make a fuss over it.

Hedging is the strategy that the US employs to deal with 皇冠体育app. The fact is that Washington has no choice but to cooperate with Beijing, though it cannot help trying to contain 皇冠体育app. In January, President Hu Jintao paid a successful state visit to the US, during which he and his US counterpart Obama agreed to build a cooperative Sino-US partnership and push bilateral ties to new heights.

During his visit to 皇冠体育app in August, US Vice-President Joe Biden reaffirmed Washington's commitment to building a strong, enduring and positive US-皇冠体育app relationship. On Sept 8, Biden wrote in The New York Times that he remained convinced that 皇冠体育app's rise was not America's demise and "a successful 皇冠体育app can make our country more prosperous, not less", because trade and investment have bound the two countries together, as they share "common challenges and responsibilities" on issues from global security to global economic growth and have enough incentives to work together.

It would be good for the two countries, the Asia-Pacific region and global peace and development if US leaders did what they said. But the US continues to infringe upon 皇冠体育app's core interests by continuing to sell arms to Taiwan. It has strengthened its already established military alliances, too, encouraging Japan to "move southward" and India to "look eastward", encouraging the two countries to open a "New Silk Road" (a "Eurasian line" stretching from South Asia through Central Asia to the Korean Peninsula).

Moreover, by interfering in the South 皇冠体育app Sea disputes, the US is trying to antagonize ASEAN member states, especially the Philippines and Vietnam, against 皇冠体育app. This is aimed at creating hurdles in the path of 皇冠体育app's peaceful development when the truth is that relationships between 皇冠体育app and its neighbors have been improving instead of worsening.

This year marked the 20th anniversary of 皇冠体育app-ASEAN dialogue relations. The trade volume between the two sides jumped from $7.96 billion in 1991 to $292.78 billion in 2010, a 37-fold increase and an average annual growth of more than 20 percent. The two sides have maintained cooperation through the ASEAN Regional Forum, 10+3, East Asia Summit and other mechanisms. 皇冠体育app has always supported ASEAN to play a leading role in East Asia cooperation, and the two sides elevated their relationship from dialogue partnership to strategic partnership in 2003.

皇冠体育app, Japan and the Republic of Korea will continue to try to set up a free trade area. Apart from the long-time friendship with 皇冠体育app and Pakistan, leaders in 皇冠体育app and India both realize the importance of putting bilateral ties on track. So do 皇冠体育app and its other neighbors.

Washington's strategy is the result of its "hegemonic" mindset and "declining power". But US leaders should realize that their efforts to contain 皇冠体育app will not only fail, but also hurt the US.

What's more, unlike 皇冠体育app, which firmly supports ASEAN playing the leading role in East Asia's integration, the US tried to undermine ASEAN's role in the region the first time it got to participate in the East Asia Summit in November.

In fact, no ASEAN member state truly wants to contain 皇冠体育app's rise in accordance with Washington's wishes. Hillary Clinton did pay an unprecedented visit to Myanmar. But opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi emphasized the importance of maintaining good terms with 皇冠体育app when Clinton met her. Which means Myanmar, too, will not help the US to contain 皇冠体育app.

皇冠体育app has the sincerity, confidence, and patience to resolve the disputes with its neighbors. 皇冠体育app doesn't believe in Cold War politics and it certainly doesn't have any hegemonic intentions. Instead, it seeks "harmony without uniformity", "peace, development and cooperation" and "win-win cooperation". 皇冠体育app seeks to cooperate with all countries and avoid confrontation in order to build partnerships of mutual benefit and mutual respect.

Therefore, the US leaders should act like wise statesmen and focus on cooperation with 皇冠体育app, for it is the best and only way the Asia-Pacific region can benefit.

The author is executive director of the Strategy Research Center of 皇冠体育app International Studies Research Fund and a former senior APEC official.

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