The Logic Behind The Evolution Of The United States Strategy In Southeast Asia Since The End Of The Cold War And Impact On China

Southeast Asia has evolved into a focus of international competition due to its critical geographical location and its international market potentials.In its endeavor to maintain its role as the world leader,the United States has continuously re-adjusted its strategy in Southeast Asia covering economy,politics,security and other fields,increased its penetration into the region and listed Southeast Asia as the forefront to contain China in its rise.As far as China is concerned,this neighboring region also constitutes a place of strategic importance where it is pushing ahead to achieve its diplomatic goal of peaceful rise,and regards Southeast China as one of its important regions on the route of the "Maritime Silk Road".A series of strategic re-adjustments,subsequently,by the United States on Southeast Asia are bound to have a profound impact on China.Therefore,it is of practical significance to study all these US strategic re-adjustments made since the end of the Cold War,analyze the logic and reasons behind them,and,in an equally important manner,explore into the possible countermeasures that China will take.Since the beginning of the Cold War,America’s strategy in Southeast Asia has been marked by three stages of involution,starting with an active involvement,followed by a subsequent overall with drawl and replaced by its present re-engagement.Up to the present days since the Cold War ended,successive US governments have re-adjusted their strategies in Southeast Asia from different perspectives.The Clinton administration,pursuing a strategy of "comprehensive engagement and expansion",strengthened its economic and trade relations with Southeast Asian countries.The Bush administration,with "counter-terrorism" and "military capability" as its foreign strategic priority,increased its military aids to Southeast Asian countries and the frequency of joint military exercises.The Obama administration upgraded its relations with Southeast Asia in all areas.While the Trump administration,under the strategic guidance of "America First",did not pay too much attention to Southeast Asia in the early period of its administration,the United States has gradually re-clarified its strategic positioning in Southeast Asia as it launched the "Indo-Pacific strategy".Based on an analytical study into the US strategy over the years since the end of the Cold War,this article concludes that the evolution in the strategy of the United States in Southeast Asia has followed an inherent logic that the United States has never given up and will never give up its involvement there.But the degree of involvement will vary.The "watched neglect" will be the approach to be adopted over a long period as China is becoming a crucial consideration affecting the shaping of the US strategy in Southeast Asia.The American changing logic has been mainly influenced by changes brought about by its own development,changes in international political pattern and the strategic value of Southeast Asia.In view of this,this article believes that the US strategy in Southeast Asia will continue to be affected by the above three factors.And the waning of the United States’ domestic strength will also continue its backfire on the US strategic engagement in Southeast Asia.The United States will continue to maintain its military presence and political influence in this region as it tries to contain China in its the rise while maximizing its own economic benefits.Possibility can not be ruled out that the United States will further strengthen its strategic ties with Southeast Asia on the pretext of Indo-Pacific strategy.In order to cushion the negative impact incurred by the adjustments of the U.S.strategy in Southeast Asia and to achieve its strategic goal of peaceful rise,China must further improve its national strength more comprehensively and continue to promote the diplomatic principle of good-neighborliness and friendship with Southeast Asian countries on the one hand,and on the other,should maintain the principle of "mutual respect and mutual benefit" in dealing its relationship with United States.