Asian Voices on the Future of U.S.-Asia Relations
In the past U.S. administration, long-standing assumptions about the global political order were repeatedly questioned, and actions were taken that represented unexpected departures from established U.S. foreign policy positions. During this time, Asians responded with a mix of confusion, concern, relief, and approval. Many feared the United States might withdraw from the region. This did not happen, but many Asians still believed that the U.S. was insufficiently engaged.
Asia remains a vast, diverse, and complex region full of conflicting trends and differing interpretations. While there are vocal minorities in Asia opposed to any U.S. presence, Asian nations, by and large, want a United States that is engaged in their region. What should America’s role be? To help address this question, The Asia Foundation assembled a select group of leading political, security, and economic and trade specialists from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Nepal, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam to share their perspectives virtually on U.S. policies and prospects in Northeast, South, and Southeast Asia. Based on these discussions, the report was written by H.E. Dr. Han Sung-Joo, Dr. Kirida Bhaopichitr, and Dr. C. Raja Mohan.