However, Obama’s visits to China, Myanmar and Australia proved to be an uphill battle as Asia is not ready to play up to Washington.
Studio guest Vladimir Sotnikov, Director of the East-West Strategic Studies Center, Moscow independent think-tank, Dmitry Streltsov, Head of Department of Asia and Africa at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Alexander Lomanov, Head Research Fellow from the Institute of Far East at the Russia’s Academy of Science, and Timothy Misir, Public policy researcher from Singapore, shared their opinions with Radio Sputnik.
Vladimir Sotnikov: I think that the internal political agenda was behind all this huge trip. After this crushing defeat, when both the chambers of Congress are now under the influence of the Republican Party, Obama is in the need to show something to the American people.
How would you sum up the results of this summit?
Alexander Lomanov: China wants to get more guarantees of the American noninterference, but America is not willing to provide any substantial guarantees. So, the exchange of the information on the military activities in the sea is important, it will decrease the risk of war. But on the other hand, for China another cause of irritation is the American surveillance near the Chinese borders. It is the American air flights and the American sea patrols aimed at collecting intelligence and information about the Chinese military. And the Americans said – no, we will not promise you anything and will conduct our surveillance flights as it was before. So, that’s why the breakthrough, if we talk about the breakthroughs, it was not in the security matters.
How important is this trip for Obama, especially after his midterm loss?
Dmitry Streltsov: I think that his trip to Asia is of course very important for him in terms of his credibility, first of all, in the eyes of Asia after his failure in the Congress. And I agree with the idea that he has to reaffirm himself and get rid of that image of a lame duck. For President Obama this is the second chance for reaffirming his Asia pivot strategy. Of course, it should be perceived within the paradigm of the competition with China. So, I think that this visit is very important for him.
Looking at the traditional allies, like Japan, the relations are not that easy also.
Dmitry Streltsov: Yes, actually with Japan the problem of the US is that it has to be involved in this territorial conflict between China and Japan and it has to reaffirm its credibility of the US-Japan military alliance. For the US it is not a very good perspective to be involved in that conflict. It confirms that it has no position over this territorial issue. But still, another thing is that it will have to react to a possible conflict and a possible deterioration of the strategic situation. So, I think that the US has to balance between the necessity of having the policy of cooperation with China and the necessity to prove its credibility as the guarantor of military or strategic balance in Asia for its allies.
Can you sum up the Obama’s visit to the Asia-Pacific region? How this visit would affect the ties between China and the US? They’ve signed several agreements, but what has been the most important for these ties?
Timothy Misir: The Obama’s current trip to the region takes in the APEC summit, the meeting of ASEAN ministers, the East Asia summit and the G20. So, there is a lot to discuss with the leaders in the region. This so-called pivot to Asia, it is nothing new, it’s been going on for decades. But I guess, right now, in the last days of Obama’s leadership he wants to show that the robust economic growth and cementing the stronger economic and security ties with Asia as a core part of his legacy. I mean, there are clearer moves being made this time, as opposed to the US’s actions in the past with regards to Southeast Asia and East Asia. I guess that it signals to the world that the Bush era’s obsessions with the ME are over, and they’ve diverted their attention to where the economic center of gravity is in the world right now.
