An Analysis Of The Obama Administration's Southeast Asia Policies

Southeast Asia is a very important part of the America's Asia-Pacific strategy. Since the cold war, the United States spared every efforts to operate in Southeast Asia. Because of Southeast Asia is important to America in terms of geographical, political, economic, security and other aspects. The successive American administrations are quite concerned about the Southeast Asian region in a long time. Since the administration of President Obama came to power , in order to consolidate the U.S. strategic interests and strategic objectives in Southeast Asia. As the means by"Smart Power"Diplomacy involved in regional affairs in Southeast Asia, carried out a more active policy, paid attention to the development of the United States-ASEAN relations, and emphasized the consultation and cooperation with ASEAN. These measures promoted Southeast Asia in the position of the United States'global strategy.U.S. announced to "return" to Southeast Asia in a lofty tone, it means that America began to actively intervene in the affairs of Southeast Asia and moved in the development of multilateral diplomacy. However, The Obama Administration adjusted the policy in Southeast Asia to improve the relations with ASEAN which is as the first stone of the United States"return"to Asia. America wants to seek the leadship in the Southeast Asian region by comprehensive engagement with ASEAN, and attempts to use ASEAN to counterbalance China, in order to strengthen its political, economic and military influence in Southeast Asia.By analyzing the Obama background on policy in Southeast Asia, the paper gets the conclusion of the Obama Administration adjusted the policy in Southeast Asia with the content of policy adjustments, real intention, effects and direction. The Obama Administration introduced the policy in Southeast Asia in a specific historical context: the U.S. global strategy shifting to eastward, the balance of power in the Asia Pacific region has a major change, the U.S. Asia-Pacific strategy is facing new challenges. So the Obama Administration adjusted the policy in Southeast Asia and improved the relations with ASEAN countries, in order to meet the needs of the U.S. strategy for new Asia and the Pacific; the administration of President Obama coincided with the United States suffered a severe financial crisis. So Obama introduced the "export" policy, vigorously promoted "buy American" to recover economic and expand the marketing. ASEAN is an important trading partner of the United States. And Southeast Asia has a vast marketing and rich resources, which are very important for the United States through foreign trade to ease the financial crisis; At the same time, China's economic take-off and has a great influence in Southeast Asia continues, So the United States worried about the rise of China will eventually challenge its hegemony in the Asia Pacific region. Therefore, the United States wants to pull the Southeast Asian countries to contain China's development, and maintain the U.S. leadership position in Southeast Asia. In this particular context, the Obama administration developed the relations between the United States and Southeast Asia by the means of "smart power", and actively involved in Southeast Asian regional affairs, in order to protect American strategic interests in Southeast Asia and hedge China's influence in Southeast Asia. By the research, the paper argues that the U.S. strategy of comprehensive engagement with ASEAN would have a huge role in hedging the impact of China in Southeast Asia, but the development of the relations between the United States and ASEAN also have some constraints. First, China and ASEAN have a huge economic interests, the ASEAN economic and trade have a great dependence on China; Second, ASEAN has been pursuing the Balance-of Foreign Affairs, it will not be completely moved to America. The well-developed relation between the United States and ASEAN will have an impact on China to some extent, but will not caused a great effect on the comprehensive development relations between China and ASEAN. The United States Actively involved in Southeast Asian affairs, especially, it's clearly said that it will involve in the South China Sea. So we must maintain high vigilance and make full consideration and preparation. The adjustment of the U.S. policy in Southeast Asia will have a significant impact on the power structure evolving in the region and the regional security order shaping. China needs the new context to plan the innovative thinking and expand the new strategy vision, focus on handling the United States among the great powers properly, as well as consolidate and enhance the partnership with ASEAN.