A tumultuous year
- By Chen Xiangyang
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Beijing Review, December 27, 2011
Changes in Asia Pacific
The rapid development of Asian emerging economies has led to a shift of the world's geopolitical focus to the east. Major powers are all asserting themselves in the region. The United States has vowed to give priority to the region in the next decade. This year, it took part in the East Asia Summit for the first time after hosting the APEC Summit.
The United States is striving to remodel Asia-Pacific cooperation by promoting the Trans-Pacific Partnership, trying to seize a larger market in the Asia-Pacific region. Employing maritime disputes in East Asia, it is also attempting to seize a dominant position in regional affairs with its military superiority. Washington's bolstered presence in the Asia Pacific is likely to do more harm than good to regional stability.
Japan has tried to consolidate its alliance with the United States while reaching out to its Asian neighbors to strengthen its influence in the region. Russia, with its military and energy clout, has also expanded its regional interests. To maximize their own interests, ASEAN countries have adopted a "balance of power" strategy in regional affairs.
As the Philippines and Vietnam attempt to make the South China Sea an international issue, the United States has weighed in, declaring that it has a "national interest." Japan and India have also gotten involved in oil and gas exploitation in the area.
On the Korean Peninsula,the death of Kim Jong Il has delayed progress on the six party talks. With the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, extremists could become more active in the war-torn country. U.S. air strikes on targets within Pakistan's borders have badly hurt U.S.-Pakistani relations.
The author is a research fellow with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.
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