Asia's Arc of Advantage - icrier

Secretary Kerry’s visit to China and East Asian capitals in April 2013 has evoked concerns.
While in Beijing, he spoke about a “model partnership” and a “special relationship” with China,
mutual stakes of the US and China in each other’s success, and emphasised US-China agreement
on handling North Korea’s nuclear threat. 38 His remarks on avoiding provocations on the East
China Sea and South China Sea territorial issues appeared equally aimed at China, Japan and
ASEAN. Kerry was also somewhat hasty in suggesting that the US might stand down recent
defensive measures triggered by North Korean threats if the latter responded appropriately to
US demands.
In his policy speech on a “21 st Century Pacific Partnership”, delivered in Tokyo on April 15,
2013, Kerry defined a vision for the Asia-Pacific in the most general of terms, saying that the US
is “committed to co-operating with all nations in meeting our common concerns.” 39 His speech
again stressed China’s role as a critical partner and a stake in China’s success.
The US “pivot” does not appear to carry the same meaning for Kerry as it did for his predecessor.
While he made it a point to affirm its continued salience at the ASEAN Regional Forum meeting
in Brunei on July 2, 2013, 40 he also skipped planned visits to Indonesia and Vietnam prior to the
ARF to focus on the Middle East.
For the credibility of its long-term commitment to Asia-Pacific security, the US would also do
well to erase a persisting element of strategic ambiguity on security threats faced by its allies like
Japan and strategic partners in ASEAN.
Amid signs that the Asia-Pacific will recede in the list of Kerry’s diplomatic priorities, trends in
US policy towards Asia are likely to be followed closely in coming months. In the absence of a
continued articulation of policy continuity on the part of the United States, strategic competition
in Asia may escalate, undermining prospects of rule-based regional security architecture.
Finally, it is important to bear in mind that growing India-US convergences in East Asia will be
difficult to sustain without US attention to India’s security concerns emanating from Afghanistan
and Pakistan, ranging from the continuing threat of terrorism to nuclear escalation.
The US has been strongly promoting a “New Silk Road” vision, which economically integrates
South and Central Asia through trade flows and energy pipelines. This is all the more reason
that India’s security concerns in its immediate neighbourhood need to be kept in mind in US
interactions with Pakistan, especially with the Pakistani military. US security or economic
assistance to Pakistan requires to be similarly conditioned. Otherwise, the broader promise
of India’s LEP connecting strategically with the US rebalance to the Asia-Pacific may well go
unfulfilled.
38 John Kerry, “Solo Press Availability in Beijing, China” (speech, Beijing, April 13, 2013), US Department of
State, available at http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2013/04/207469.htm.
39 John Kerry, “Remarks on a 21 st Century Pacific Partnership” (speech, Tokyo, April 15, 2013), US Department
of State, available at http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2013/04/207487.htm.
40 John Kerry, “Press Availability in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei” (speech, Bandar Seri Begawan, July 1, 2013),
US Department of State, available at http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2013/07/211397.htm
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