Advertisement
Opinion | Focus on Indo-Pacific, even amid Russia-Ukraine conflict, shows global order is not just forged in Europe
- Global powers are increasingly seeing the Indo-Pacific as a prime spot to diversify their foreign policy
- Interest from the US and its allies as well as Russia and China shows the emerging global order is likely to have the Indo-Pacific as a top priority
Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
6
With European security entering the third month of its worst crisis in decades, the Indo-Pacific region has become an alluring political destination for global powers to diversify foreign policy.
Advertisement
Ever since the Russia-Ukraine conflict flared up and drew the attention of global powers, many believed the Indo-Pacific region would fade from Washington’s view. This was despite the United States publishing its revised Indo-Pacific strategy earlier in the year and US President Joe Biden giving reassurances about his administration’s focus on Asia.
The new strategy places greater emphasis on increasing the US presence in Southeast Asia, a region which is drawing more attention from Biden than it did under former US president Donald Trump, who was enthusiastic about promoting India as the fulcrum of regional policy. Now Biden has unveiled a “new era” for the US partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) as he wrapped up a long-anticipated summit with the bloc.
There were concerns the summit could send the wrong signal to China, which has questioned the sincerity of Washington’s cooperation. China’s annoyance over intensifying US regional activity increased after the US State Department made changes to its Taiwan fact sheet, which led to China accusing the US of “hollowing” the one-China policy.
However, further escalation was avoided because US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s China policy speech was postponed due to his health issues. While the US-Asean summit did not openly address Russia or China, one could read veiled criticism of Moscow between the lines of its vision statement. Beijing was also a veiled presence as Washington promoted the summit as a part of its broader Indo-Pacific overtures.
02:30
Joe Biden arrives in South Korea for a tour of Asia to strengthen US ties in the Indo-Pacific
Joe Biden arrives in South Korea for a tour of Asia to strengthen US ties in the Indo-Pacific
Washington is now adding an economic component to its regional policy. It is promoting its Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) with an eye on creating a new supply chain network with regional allies which bypasses China. The US is also keen on making deeper inroads into regional maritime and digital economy cooperation by pledging a US$150 million development package for Asean countries.
Advertisement