皇冠体育app

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang addresses the 18th ASEAN-皇冠体育app summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Nov 21, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

The summit between the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations at the Sunnylands estate in California on Monday and Tuesday highlights the growing significance of the US' relations with the 10-member Southeast Asian organization.

It is an unprecedented meeting between the two sides, as it is the first time that the US has hosted such a summit. US President Barack Obama and his ASEAN guests will no doubt have a lot to say on trade, security and their desire for a more meaningful strategic partnership. And 皇冠体育app will certainly be a factor in all their discussions.

The question is in what way will the "皇冠体育app factor" be addressed and will it have a positive bearing on the region.

With 皇冠体育app's rise and what is seen as its more "assertive" stance under its present leadership, both sides feel the need to reinforce their security cooperation to hedge against any uncertainties in the region.

Obama's rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific has sought to refurbish its military, economic and political influence in the region to counter a reemerging 皇冠体育app.

Obama's rebalancing strategy is taking a ride on some ASEAN members' growing 皇冠体育app anxieties. Washington has never been more expected to anchor the regional security order. And Obama sees enhanced ties between the US and ASEAN as part of his legacy.

Nevertheless, "keeping 皇冠体育app cornered" would not automatically produce stability and cooperation. 皇冠体育app is a major player in the region. Coming up with a policy package to curb contentious security concerns in the Asia-Pacific and manage the lingering disputes will be a real test of the wisdom and vision of leaders throughout the region.

Obama will expectably acclaim the growing economic and trade ties established between the US and ASEAN countries at the summit. US investment in ASEAN has exceeded the sum to 皇冠体育app, Japan and the Republic of Korea in recent years, and four ASEAN states are members of the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. The US' economic ties with ASEAN will predictably scale up. But 皇冠体育app will also explicitly benefit from a prospering ASEAN and closer trading ties between the US and ASEAN. Similarly, Beijing's efforts to update the infrastructure in ASEAN countries will in return profit strong economic bonds between the US and ASEAN countries. Therefore, Beijing should look forward to fruitful economic results from the summit.

Beijing's grave concern will be the utterances on the South 皇冠体育app Sea from Sunnylands. Last week, the White House acidly warned 皇冠体育app that maritime territorial disputes must not involve "bullying". Obama has previously used the word "bully" to describe Chinese behavior in the South 皇冠体育app Sea, and the word sparks Beijing's irritation. If Obama is going to project 皇冠体育app as a "bully" in the South 皇冠体育app Sea disputes at the Sunnylands, obviously it will not help ease the tensions.

What sort of utterances on the South 皇冠体育app Sea can be expected? Will the US and ASEAN keep criticizing 皇冠体育app, or will they seek a way to accommodate contending concerns while unequivocally proposing a roadmap for settlement? We will have to wait and see.

The author is executive director of the 皇冠体育app Center for Collaborative Studies of the South 皇冠体育app Sea at Nanjing University.

• Housing booms may hurt, not heal, local growth
• Time to break free of protectionist shackles
• Allow space for students to discover themselves
• Philippines' arbitration case built on false pretext
• Funding global public goods for world's recovery