U.S. will not backtrack on rebalance toward Asia

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 23): U.S. will not backtrack on rebalance toward Asia

The Obama administration will not backtrack on its rebalance toward Asia and the Pacific, a region "immensely important" to the interests of the United States, a senior American envoy said on Monday.

Daniel Russel, who assumed the post of assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific affairs a week ago, told reporters that he has served under President Barack Obama since he took office in January 2009 and understood "firsthand" the president's "strategic commitment" to rebalance U.S. interests and investments in the Asia-Pacific region.

"And I can say with great confidence that there is no let up, no backtracking, no diminution of that commitment," he said at a press briefing. "First and foremost, the East Asia and Pacific region is immensely important to the interests of the United States."

A 28-year foreign service veteran, Russel had served as special assistant to the president and senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council since 2011.

He said Washington based its rebalance strategy on three "areas of focus" -- modernizing and upgrading America's alliances in the region, participating in and investing in regional institutions, and building better and stronger relations with the emerging powers in the region.

Washington's "enduring" treaty alliances with Australia, Thailand, the Philippines, Japan and the Republic of Korea "form the foundation of peace and stability," while China has dominated the administration's engagement with emerging powers in the region, Russel said.

He noted that the Obama administration will continue its close cooperation with ASEAN on "a whole range of" issues including education, economic development, energy, climate, maritime security and connectivity.

The veteran diplomat said he took office with "a clear-eyed view" of problems facing the region, including the nuclear program with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, tensions over territorial disputes both in the South China Sea and the East China Sea, and broad transnational global challenges like climate change, energy security and cyberspace.

The Obama administration has been busy selling its new strategic shift toward Asia in the past two years as Washington finally winds down two costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But the policy, which heavily features strengthening cold-war style security alliances and large-scale military redeployment, has also raised eyebrows in the region.

Some Chinese analysts are particularly wary of Washington using the strategic shift to contain China, citing U.S. tacit support for countries that have territorial disputes with China, including the Philippines and Japan.

Meanwhile, U.S. officials have repeatedly sought to ally Chinese fears, downplaying the military color of its new pivot to Asia policy and highlighting its willingness to cooperate with China.

China has said the Asia-Pacific is large enough to accommodate the interests of both countries and urged Washington to play a stabilizing and constructive role in the region.

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