Publication

This essay argues that there are mixed signals about US resilience in the context of China’s (re)emergence and competition for global influence. To preserve its credibility and position, the US cannot afford to stand still as China rises. If the recently announced US 'rebalancing' toward Asia is to succeed, it needs to be more about substance than about public pronouncements. Specifically, a more tailored approach that emphasizes both enhanced political-diplomatic relations and increased military ties with Southeast Asia – the most volatile checkpoint of Chinese power in Beijing’s immediate neighborhood – is desirable and the most immediate requirement.