It is a positive development for Washington to pay greater strategic attention on Asia. However, the policy is facing two crucial problems right now, the strained relationship among the East Asian countries and the west Philippine Sea dispute. These problems should be approached by the U.S. smoothly and carefully. It must be careful to prevent the policy change from agitating China while maintaining balance in policies toward Europe and other regions.
Between the two crucial problems, the U.S. should be concern more on the West Philippine Sea dispute rather than the other problem. Why? It is because the sea of the disputed area played an enormously valuable role as the international highway of global trade. Half of all the world’s intercontinental goods pass through the South China Sea, amounting to $1.2 trillion in trade with the US every year (Carlson, 2012). However, they should also not forget about the other issue because it might elevate from its status. The U.S. should also monitor the happenings between the East Asian countries.
The South China Sea functions as the gateway of the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. So, the American interests in the region are increasingly at risk due to the economic and military rise of China and concerns about its willingness to uphold existing legal norms. Because of that the U.S. should intervene. The United States has taken a neutral stand on the territorial disputes between China and its allies in Southeast Asia. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton outlined America’s emerging priorities in the South China Sea: freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce, maintenance of peace and stability, and respect for international law in the disputed seas. Also, America 's main focus should be on guaranteeing the freedom of global trade routes, and leave the mess of sorting out sovereignty to the states involve in the dispute themselves.
The US should take a step back from the issue, it has made its point with respect to its support for a key ally, and the region as a whole, but ultimately it is in the US interest to have regional stability and not allow the conflict to escalate further, which has the possibility to start a new world war.
Nadezza Gutierrez
References: Carlson, B. (2012, May 9). China-Philippines standoff: Will the US military get involved? Retrieved February 9, 2014, from Global Post: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/china/120509/us-south-china-sea Sung-joo, H. (2012, April 27). What Does Washington 's 'Pivot to Asia ' Policy Mean? Retrieved February 9, 2014, from The Chusonilbo: http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/04/27/2012042701343.html
References: Carlson, B. (2012, May 9). China-Philippines standoff: Will the US military get involved? Retrieved February 9, 2014, from Global Post: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/china/120509/us-south-china-sea Sung-joo, H. (2012, April 27). What Does Washington 's 'Pivot to Asia ' Policy Mean? Retrieved February 9, 2014, from The Chusonilbo: http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/04/27/2012042701343.html
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