Research On Obama Administration's Foreign Assistance To ASEAN Countries

This paper analyzes U.S.foreign assistance to ASEAN countries during the reign of President Barack Obama.Foreign aid,though a small part of foreign policies,reflects the general features and goals of a country's foreign policies.The interests and goals of donor countries are embodied in the selection of aid recipients and aid amount and the U.S.aid is of no exception.Although we don't negate the humanitarian and ethical elements in U.S.aid,foreign assistance,which in essence serves the U.S.foreign policies,is an important tool to safeguard its political,economic and security interests.U.S.assistance to Southeast Asia countries dates back to the cold war.To contain the Soviet Union and China,U.S.provided a large sum of money to ASEAN countries.After the end of cold war,U.S.slashed its assistance to ASEAN due to its decreasing strategic value.After the "9.11"terrorist attack,fighting against terrorism became America's top priority,so the strategic value of ASEAN countries emerged again and the assistance they got from the U.S.increased accordingly.However,Southeast Asia did not receive much attention from the U.S.,as America's strategic center was still in the Middle East.President Barack Obama took office in 2009 and he believed that conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan were mitigated while the challenge from Asia especially from China was becoming more and more prominent.Therefore,the U.S.withdrew its troops from the Middle East and shifted national strategic focus to the Asia Pacific.In this context,the U.S.attached more importance to Southeast Asia.At the same time,Obama administration improved the strategic status of "development",and regarded it as an important tool for the U.S to deal with global challenges and seize opportunities along with national defense and diplomacy.Presidential Directive on Global Development and Leading through Civilian Power:the First Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review point out clearly that development,diplomacy and national defense should supplement and strengthen each other in a comprehensive way to serve national security better.In this background,the U.S.assistance to the Southeast Asia took some new changes.This paper consists of four chapters.The first chapter recalls the history of U.S assistance to ASEAN.U.S.foreign policy is the key factor that influences its aid.When ASEAN has a high strategic status,it receives more assistance,but when its status declines,it gets less aid.The second chapter introduces the motives of Obama administration to increase assistance to ASEAN countries:to adjust the U.S.policy of ASEAN and balance the influence of major countries especially of China in Southeast Asia.The U.S.governments do not attach importance to ASEAN and the U.S.does not set "overall strategy" for ASEAN,which leads to declining influence in Southeast Asia As the strategic value 'of ASEAN increases greatly,Obama administration pays more attention to ASEAN,and improves U.S.relation with ASEAN in an all-round way.The third chapter introduces in detail the scale,type,features and main area of the U.S.assistance.The Obama administration expands the scale of assistance to ASEAN countries and diversifies the aid area as it extends from anti-terrorism to social and economic sectors.Obama administration gives more assistance to ASEAN as a whole and selects some key aid recipients at the same time.Philippines,the ally of the U.S.,has territorial conflict with China over the South China Sea,so it's an important strategic fulcrum for the United States.As a country with great influence on the region,Indonesia receives the most foreign aid from the U.S.Besides,there are new shining points in U.S.assistance to Vietnam and Myanmar.The United States helps Vietnam coast guard to improve its capacity and promotes Vietnam's economic reform.What's more,the Obama administration adjusts U.S.policy to Myanmar by easing sanctions and providing foreign assistance to pushing forward its democratic transition.The fourth chapter analyzes the achievements and defects of American,assistance and its impact on China.The assistance does have achieved some results:aid strengthens America's military presence in Southeast Asia,spreads democratic value,helps the U.S.to set up the image of benevolence and generosity,and gains more trust from ASEAN countries.However,American aid also has some defects as the United States makes use of foreign assistance to intervene the political and economic affairs of aid recipients,which arouses concern and dissatisfaction among ASEAN countries.Moreover,the aid also has some impact on China.In general,Obama administration's aid serves its policy in Southeast Asia and Asia-pacific.The research on U.S.foreign aid can help us know more about American foreign policy and provides some guidance for China's foreign assistance.