The New US Strategy towards Asia Adapting to the American Pivot

Barack Obama’s "rebalancing" or "pivot" strategy, intended to demonstrate continued US commitment to the Asia-Pacific region in a variety of military, economic, and diplomatic contexts, was launched with much fanfare in 2011. Implicit in the new strategy is both a focus on China – engagement with, and containment of – and a heavy reliance by the United States on its existing friends and allies in the region in order to implement its strategy. This book explores the impact of the new strategy on America’s regional friends and allies. It shows how these governments are working with Washington to advance and protect their distinct national interests, while at the same time avoiding any direct confrontation with China. It also addresses the reasons why many of these regional actors harbour concerns about the ability of the US to sustain the pivot strategy in the long run. Overall, the book illustrates the deep complexities of the United States’ exercise of power and influence in the region.

Preface William T. Tow and Douglas Stuart 1. Setting the Context Douglas Stuart and William T. Tow Part 1: Asia’s Place in America’s Global Strategy 2. Obama’s "Rebalance" in Historical Context Douglas Stuart 3. Rebalancing and Order-building: Strategy or Illusion? William T. Tow 4. Deterrence, the Twenty-First Century, and the "Pivot" Jeffrey D. McCausland Part 2: Northeast Asian Partners and Allies 5. US Rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific: A Japanese Perspective Ken Jimbo 6. South Korea’s Adaptation to the US Pivot to Asia Changsu Kim 7. The US Pivot to Asia: Taiwan’s Security Challenges and Responses Fu-Kuo Liu Part 3: Southeast Asian Partners and Allies 8. Strategic Communication: US–Philippines Relations and the American Rebalancing Strategy Charmaine G. Misalucha 9. A Reluctant Ally? Thailand in the US Rebalancing Strategy Kitti Prasirtsuk and William T. Tow 10. Security and Power Balancing: Singapore’s Response to the US Rebalance to Asia Ralf Emmers Part 4: The Wider Indo-Pacific Region 11. Australia Responds to America’s Rebalance Brendan Taylor 12. New Zealand’s Response Robert Ayson 13. India and the US "Pivot" to Asia: Convergence without Change Mahesh Shankar 14. Balancing the Risks of US Rebalancing Tongfi Kim

William T. Tow is Professor and Head of the Department of International Relations, College of Asia and Pacific at the Australian National University. Douglas Stuart is Professor and Chair of International Studies at Dickinson College and also an Adjunct Research Professor at the US Army War College.