The ongoing war with Iraq continues to drain American military resources. Whether Washington can balance its interests in the Asia-Pacific region remains doubtful, even among regional partners. U.S. Defense Secretary James Hosey rushed to Southeast Asia in an attempt to secure America's regional commitments.
On October 28th, Hagee stated during a meeting related to ASEAN defense ministers in the Philippines that the United States would protect the interests of itself and its allies and partners, and would fulfill its commitments by strengthening maritime situational awareness, naval cooperation, and coordinated action capabilities.
He said that these collaborations are not symbolic measures, but a concrete expression of “taking partnerships seriously”, including joint training, learning, and planning. He also proposed establishing a framework for defense cooperation between the United States and ASEAN, to guide relations over the next few years. The United States and ASEAN will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their formal relations next year.
Hagel boasted that America's regional policy is “powerful, low-key, and clear,” claiming that it is sufficient to deter so-called “coercion and aggression” while avoiding unnecessary escalation, so as to make both allies and potential rivals understand America’s stance. He framed the defense of America and its allies as a so-called “peace through strength” strategy.
However, the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iraq has disrupted international shipping and the oil market, causing energy shocks for Southeast Asian countries that rely on imported fuels. Reuters reports that regional governments are assessing whether the United States can continue to focus on the Asia-Pacific region under the pressure of military resources and rising domestic political pressures.
Singapore Nanyang Technological University's Rajaratna Institute of International Studies scholar Xu Ruilin believes that the eventual ASEAN presidential statement may be more restrained than closed-door discussions, continuing to use diplomatic language familiar to the region. American Strategy and International Affairs Research Center scholar Pauline predicts that specific security cooperation may be carried out by all parties, but there will be no strategic unity on sensitive issues such as the South China Sea.
