Analysis On The Factors Of The United States In The Process Of Integration Of East Asia

With the deepening development of economic globalization, regional integration isalso booming tremendously after the end of the Cold War. The European Communitydeveloped into the European Union in1993, after several rounds of enlargement, theEU has become a regional integration organization with important influence in theworld, which has27member countries. On the other side of the Atlantic, The UnitedStates also united Canada and Mexico to build the world’s largest North American FreeTrade Area in North America, and the United States was also trying to expand it to thewhole Americas. However, East Asia, as the world’s another important economic center,faced not only later-started integration, lowest-degree of development, but also greatestdifficulties. For a long time, the academic circles pay more attention to the internalcontradictions and differences in East Asia, while little to the impact of external factors.However, in terms of the current integration development situation of East Asia, moreand more other countries are increasingly involved in the process of integration of EastAsia, the external influencing factors on the integration of East Asia also should not beignored.The United States is the only superpower in the world, the leader in the existinginternational system, and its influence nearly dominates the world, East Asia either can’tget rid of such effects. The United States owns important strategic interests in East Asia,and is also the country involved in most, is closely linked with East Asia in the aspectsof political, economic and security. Thus The United States is also the maximumexternal factor which affects the integration development of East Asia. Especially when Obama came to power, he claimed a high-profile announcement of "return to Asia",East Asia has become the centre of American global strategy, Therefore, the UnitedStates has also given hitherto unknown attention to the integration of East Asia. Itchanged the former government’s attitude as hesitation, wait-and-see towards EastAsian integration, instead of fully involving in the process of integration, bringing theintegration of East Asia into the global strategy of the United States when it tries toparticipate in the process of integration. The change of the attitude will have asignificant impact on the East Asian integration process, which is the new situation EastAsia faced now. China and other East Asian countries need to maintain a high degree ofvigilance to the participation of the United States. Therefore, it has the extremely vitalsignificance to study the factors of the United States in the process of East Asianintegration.This paper firstly reviews the evolution of Postwar American role in the East Asianintegration process. After the Cold War, the United States, on the basis of the changedobjective situation, the role of regional cooperation in East Asia has experienced threehistoric changes, that is, from a cautious supporter of the sub-regional cooperation inEast Asia, to the obstacles of regional cooperation in East Asia, and to the participationand shapers of regional cooperation in East Asia. Secondly, this paper analyzes thereasons and strategic measures of the United States in the East Asian integration, inorder to grasp the overall position and essence of American intervention in the EastAsian integration process. Thirdly, the article comprehensively illustrates the significantimpact of the United States on the East Asian integration process. The paper holds thatgreat changes have taken place in the United States in East Asia integration mode, butremaining the position of delaying or even preventing the East Asian integration processhas not changed. Therefore, the current American participation has much adverse effectson the development of the East Asian integration. Finally, the article analyzes of the future development trend of the of the United States factors, believing that the UnitedStates factors will exist for a long time. What’s more, the United States is likely tocapture the leadership of the East Asian integration. As for the situation, the East Asiancountries should remain on high alert. After a comprehensive consideration of Americaninfluence on East Asian integration process and American stance and essence of slowingintegration, the paper has some preliminary exploration on the strategy of China, that is,maintaining the stable development of Sino-US relations, respecting the interests of theUnited States in East Asia, avoiding challenges the leadership in East Asia, which areimportant conditions for maintaining regional cooperation in East Asia. Based on this,adhering to the principle of limited "open" regional cooperation strategy; firmlyupholding ASEAN’s leadership; promoting China, Japan and South Korea trilateralcooperation in order to motivate the enthusiasm of Japan’s participation in theintegration process. China should also take use of its inherent cultural superiorities andpromote regional cultural exchanges to advance the formation of the East Asian regionidentity. Only in this way, can it reduce the doubts of the United States on strengtheningregional cooperation in East Asia and draw on the advantages and avoid disadvantagesto promote sustainable development of East Asian integration.