The US Pivot to Asia Under the Obama Administration

The Obama administration announced the U.S. “Pivot to Asia” in November 2011, shifting the country’s focus from Europe and the Middle East to East Asia. In reality, it meant a lot of diplomatic gestures and new economic (trade) ties. Rebalancing was supposed to be an answer to China’s growing potential within almost all spheres. The strategy was supposed to strengthen bilateral security alliances, intensify cooperation with emerging regional powers, tighten ties within multilateral cooperation, expand US military presence in the region, develop economic engagement through new trade agreements and investments, and finally promote democracy and human rights. The paper will examine various dimensions of the pivot, focusing mainly on the military, diplomatic and economic spheres. It will also give a closer look at US–China relations and provide insight into the perception of the shift from the regional perspective.

Zwrot Stanów Zjednoczonych ku Azji za czasów prezydentury Baracka Obamy

Administracja Baracka Obamy ogłosiła w listopadzie 2011 r. „zwrot ku Azji” Stanów Zjednoczonych, przenosząc uwagę z Europy i Bliskiego Wschodu na Azję Wschodnią. W rzeczywistości oznaczało to wiele gestów dyplomatycznych i nowych powiązań gospodarczych (handlowych). Przywrócenie równowagi miało być odpowiedzią na wzrost potencjału Chin niemal we wszystkich sferach. Strategia miała wzmacniać dwustronne sojusze bezpieczeństwa, intensyfikować współpracę ze wschodzącymi mocarstwami regionalnymi, zacieśniać więzi w ramach współpracy wielostronnej, zwiększać obecność wojskową USA w regionie, rozwijać zaangażowanie gospodarcze poprzez nowe umowy handlowe i inwestycje, czy wreszcie promować demokrację i prawa człowieka. W artykule zbadane zostaną różne wymiary strategii zwrotu ku Azji z naciskiem na sferę militarną, dyplomatyczną i gospodarczą. Przedstawiona analiza pozwoli także na bliższe spojrzenie na stosunki USA–Chiny i umożliwi wgląd w postrzeganie tej zmiany z perspektywy regionalnej.

BIBLIOGRAFIA:

• ASEAN (2016 January 4). Overview of ASEAN-U.S. dialogue relations. Retrieved from: http://www.asean.org/storage/2016/01/4Jan/Overview-of-ASEAN-US-DialogueRelations-(4-Jan-2016).pdf
• Blanchard, J. M. F. (2013). US-China Relations under Bush and Obama: Fill in the Blanks, or It’s the Structure, Stupid? Issues and Studies, 49(3), 31–48.
• Buszynski, L. (2012). The South China Sea: oil, maritime claims, and US-China strategic rivalry. The Washington Quarterly, 35(2), 139–156.
• Campbell, K., & Andrews, B. (2013). Explaining the US ‘pivot to Asia. Americas, 1.
• Chen, R. (2013). A Critical Analysis of the US “Pivot” toward the Asia-Pacific: How Realistic is Neo-realism? Connections: The Quarterly Journal, 12(3).
• Cooper, R. (2004). Hard power, soft power, and the goals of diplomacy. American power in the 21st century, 167–180.
• Davidson J. (2014). The U.S. “Pivot to Asia”. American Journal of Chinese Studies, 21.
• Desker, B. (2013). The Eagle and the Panda: An Owl’s View from Southeast Asia. Asia Policy, 15(1), 26-30.
• Emmers, R. (2002). ASEAN, China and the South China Sea: an opportunity missed. IDSS Commentaries, 19.
• Graham, E. (2013). Southeast Asia in the US rebalance: Perceptions from a divided region. Contemporary Southeast Asia: A Journal of International and Strategic Affairs, 35(3), 305-332.
• Hayden, C. (2011). Beyond the “Obama effect”: Refining the instruments of engagement through US public diplomacy. American Behavioral Scientist, 55(6), 784–802.
• Hsieh, P. L. (2011). The Roadmap for a Prospective US-ASEAN FTA: Legal and Geopolitical Considerations.
• Jennings, P. (2013). The US Rebalance to the Asia-Pacific: An Australian Perspective. Asia Policy, 15(1), 38–44.
• Kelly, R. E. (2014). The ‘pivot’ and its problems: American foreign policy in Northeast Asia. The Pacific Review, 27(3), 479-503.
• Leffler, M. P. (2004). Bush’s foreign policy. Foreign Policy, 22–28.
• Limaye, S. P. (2004). Minding the gaps: the Bush administration and US-Southeast Asia relations. Contemporary Southeast Asia, 73–93.
• Limaye, S. P., & Council, U. A. B. (2014). ASEAN matters for America/America matters for ASEAN.
• Ling, W. (2013). Rebalancing or De-Balancing: US Pivot and East Asian Order. American Foreign Policy Interests, 35(3), 148–154.
• Manyin, M. E., Daggett, S., Dolven, B., Lawrence, S. V., Martin, M. F., O’Rourke, R., & Vaughn, B. (2012, March). Pivot to the Pacific? The Obama Administration’s Rebalancing Toward Asia. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE.
• Mauzy, D. K., & Job, B. L. (2007). US policy in Southeast Asia: Limited re-engagement after years of benign neglect. Asian Survey, 47(4), 622–641.
• McGiffert, C. (2009). Chinese soft power and its implications for the United States: competition and cooperation in the developing world: a CSIS smart power initiative report.
• Mearsheimer, J. J. (2001). The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. W.W. Norton & Company.
• Mearsheimer, J. (2013). The Rise of China and the Decline of the US Army. Da Silva, Liebert, and Wilson III, American Grand Strategy and the Future of US Landpower.
• Mearsheimer, J. J. (2014). Can China rise peacefully? The National Interest, 25, 23–37
• Mustapha, J. (2011). Threat construction in the Bush administration’s post-9/11 foreign policy: (critical) security implications for Southeast Asia. The Pacific Review, 24(4), 487–504.
• Narine, S. (2008). From conflict to collaboration: institution-building in East Asia. Behind the Headlines, 65(5), 1.
• Nye Jr, J. S. (2008). Recovering American Leadership. Survival, 50(1), 55–68.
• Nye Jr, J. S. (2009). Get smart: Combining hard and soft power. Foreign Affairs, 160–163.
• Nye, J. S. (2004). Soft power: The means to success in world politics. Public Affairs.
• Nye, J. S. (2011). Obama’s Pacific Pivot. Project Syndicate, 6.
• Park, J. K. (2012). The US Pivot to Asia and Asia’s Pivot to the US. East-West Center. Retrieved from: https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/23294/1/ APB%20no.%20173.pdf.
• Pempel, T. J. (2008). How Bush bungled Asia: militarism, economic indifference, and unilateralism have weakened the United States across Asia. The Pacific Review, 21(5), 547–581.
• Prasirtsuk, K. (2013). The implications of US strategic rebalancing: A perspective from Thailand. Asia Policy, 15(1), 31–37.
• President Obama Speaks to the Australian Parliament, November 17, 2011. Retrieved from: https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/photos-and-video/video/2011/11/17/president-obama-speaks-australian-parliament#transcript.
• Ross, R. S. (2012). The problem with the pivot: Obama’s new Asia policy is unnecessary and counterproductive. Foreign Affairs, 91, 70.
• Rudd, K. (2013). Beyond the pivot: A new road map for US-Chinese relations. Foreign Affairs, 92, 9.
• Satake, T., & Ishihara, Y. (2012). America’s rebalance to Asia and its implications for Japan-US-Australia Security cooperation. Asia-Pacific Review, 19(2), 6–25.
• Sutter, R. (2009). The Obama administration and US policy in Asia. Contemporary Southeast Asia: A Journal of International and Strategic Affairs, 31(2), 189–216.
• U.S. Department of State (2016 December 13). U.S. Relations with Laos. Retrieved from: https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2770.htm
• U.S. Department of State (2017 January 27). U.S. Relations with Burma. Retrieved from: https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35910.htm
• Wang, D., & Yin, C. (2014). Mainland China Debates US Pivot/Rebalancing to Asia. Issues
• Xuetong, Y. (2013). Strategic cooperation without mutual trust: a path forward for China and the United States. Asia Policy, 15(1), 4–6.
• Yamaguchi, N. (2013). A Japanese Perspective on US Rebalancing toward the Asia Pacific Region. Asia Policy, 15(1), 7–12.