Engagement, Partnerships Must Guide U.S. Asia Policy

By MARCUS WEISGERBER Published: 29 Apr 2011 14:15

The United States must find new ways to engage China and India, two major stakeholders in Asian security, and build partnership capability with countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam as the continent continues to transform, according to a senior U.S. Defense Department official.

Michèle Flournoy, U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy, said Asia ?sits at the crossroads of a number of emerging threats.? (Win McNamee / Getty Images)

Speaking at an event in Arlington, Va., April 28, Michèle Flournoy, U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy, said Asia "sits at the crossroads of a number of emerging threats," including cybersecurity, its role in the global supply chain, climate change and terrorism.

Her comments come as China is bolstering its anti-access, area-denial systems.

"This approach threatens to undermine the basic norms that have bolstered East Asian peace and prosperity, such as open access to sea lanes for commerce and security assistance," she said.

DoD needs to strengthen its long-standing and nontraditional alliances and capacity-building efforts in Asia while deterring potential threats, Flournoy said. This includes "bolstering our capabilities to face the full range of scenarios" on the Korean Peninsula.

"We're working to modernize our alliance and to achieve a partnership this is truly global and comprehensive in nature," she said. "Through Strategic Alliance 2015, we are ensuring the interoperability of the United States and South Korean forces, and this is further proof of our lasting commitment to defend South Korea and preserve stability on the Korean Peninsula."

In addition, building partner capacity with countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam is also a focus.

The Pentagon must also adjust its force structure so that it is better aligned with the "realities of the new Asia."

"We must ensure that our regional allies and partners are confident in the continued strength of our deterrent against the full range of potential threats," she said. "Our capabilities, basing and operational concepts must be able to succeed in an environment where our access and freedom of movement may be challenged."

The United States must demonstrate it is postured to face significant threats across the region. The Pentagon has "a great deal of activity focused on planning and engineering the capabilities and concepts that will allow us to deter aggression and defend our partners and interests in Asia for a very, very long time to come," she said.

Flournoy noted the U.S. is working to strengthen the missile defense capabilities of its allies in the region, in addition to hardening facilities. The Pentagon's 2012 budget proposal calls for launching a new Air Force bomber program.

"[W]e are focusing on a variety of ways to operate more regularly and seamlessly with our allies and partners, from increased combined training opportunities, to new joint patrols and exercises, to shared activities such as medical missions and civil-engineering operations, to exercises and the like," she said.

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