Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said there is no alternative to U.S. leadership in the Asia- Pacific region, recognizing concerns that the U.S. is moving to deny rising Asian nations \u201ctheir fair share of influence.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen it comes to ensuring stability and security in the Asia-Pacific and beyond, there simply is no substitute for American power,\u201d Clinton, the top U.S. diplomat, said in a speech last night at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.<\/p>\n
Clinton acknowledged tensions with China, citing \u201ccyber intrusions\u201d that include the online theft of American intellectual property, and called for setting clear Internet governance policies with Beijing. She dismissed regional misgivings that talk of American leadership is code for protecting Western prerogatives.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is not the case,\u201d she said. \u201cChina is not the Soviet Union, and we are not on the brink of a new Cold War in Asia.\u201d<\/p>\n
President Barack Obama has made Asia a central focus of his foreign policy, and the interconnected nature of U.S.-Asia ties underscores the importance of the administration’s \u201cpivot\u201d toward the region, Clinton said.<\/p>\n
Exports to Asia are crucial to the U.S. economic recovery and reaching consumers in the region’s growing middle class is central to growth, Clinton said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe shape of the global economy, the advance of democracy and human rights, and our hopes for a 21st century less bloody than the 20th all hinge to a large degree on what happens in the Asia-Pacific,\u201d Clinton said.<\/p>\n
North Korea Concerns
\nNorth Korea and other security issues will continue to drive U.S. involvement in the region, Clinton said. North Korean threats to launch a long-range missile, if carried out, would violate United Nations Security Council resolutions and put its neighbors at risk, she said.<\/p>\n
Coming just weeks after North Korea agreed to a moratorium on nuclear and missile testing, \u201cthe speed of the turnaround\u201d raises questions about the country’s seriousness in saying that it wants to improve relations with the U.S. and its neighbors, Clinton said. \u201cRecent history strongly suggests that additional provocations may follow,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The U.S. will continue to be \u201cvery candid\u201d about areas of tension, such as cyber attacks that threaten economic and national security, Clinton said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause the United States and China are two of the largest global cyber actors, establishing clear and acceptable practices in cyberspace is critical,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Regional Network
\nClinton also touted the need for a strong regional network of organizations, such as the East Asia Summit, to enforce rules and settle disputes including competing claims over the oil-rich South China Sea.<\/p>\n
Agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a bloc of nine countries, also create a level economic playing field that allow for an \u201cintegrated Pacific economy that is open, free, transparent, fair,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The international economic system is based on \u201cuniversal\u201d and \u201cfundamental freedoms\u201d that emerging powers such as India and China will have to protect as they gain greater stature, Clinton said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have benefited from the security it provides, the markets it opens and the trust it fosters,\u201d she said. \u201cAs a consequence, they have a real stake in the success of that system. And as their power grows, and their ability to contribute increases, the world’s expectations of them naturally rise as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Disagreement on Syria
\nWhile the U.S. and China have worked closely on some international challenges, including coping with North Korea and Iran’s alleged nuclear program, they haven’t agreed on an approach to the regime generated violence in Syria.<\/p>\n
China has worked with Russia to veto attempts at the UN to sanction the Syrian government for a crackdown that has left as many as 9,000 dead, according to UN estimates. In Annapolis, Clinton acknowledged China’s support for Syria.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of today’s emerging powers act as \u2018selective stakeholders,’\u201d she said, \u201cpicking and choosing when to participate constructively and when to stand apart from the international system.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile that may suit their interests in the short-term, it will ultimately render the system unworkable,\u201d Clinton said. \u201cAnd that would end up impoverishing everyone.<\/p>\n
via bloomberg<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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