Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Signaled New US-Asia Relation

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Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton signaled the new U.S. approaches toward Asia, and in particular, China, in her first major foreign policy speech delivered at the Asia Society in New York, on Feb.13.

NP Readers are welcome to view a full length video of Secretary Clinton's speech and read the full text provided by the State Department here: 

"In the Obama Administration, we are also ready to reach beyond ministerial buildings and official meeting halls, as important as those are. We’re ready to engage civil society to strengthen the foundations needed to support good governance, free elections, and a free press, wider educational opportunities, stronger health-care systems, religious tolerance, and human rights.

And we are ready to listen. Actively listening to our partners isn’t just a way of demonstrating respect. It can also be a source of ideas to fuel our common efforts. Too often in the recent past, our government has acted reflexively before considering available facts and evidence, or hearing the perspectives of others. But President Obama and I are committed to a foreign policy that is neither impulsive nor ideological, one that values what others have to say. And when we have differences, which we will, we will discuss them frankly and specify those which limit our capacity to cooperate."

It has been several decades since a United States Secretary of State looks toward and travels to Asia. Traditionally, previous Secretaries of State have gone to Europe to herald their first overseas trips. Mrs. Clinton will begin her four-nation tour over the weekend, which included China, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea.

Mrs. Clinton drew a clear line of differences between the Bush administration and the Obama administration by recognizing Asia's influences in the world civilization and highlighted the special long-standing relationship between Asia and the United States.  America is home to 13+ million Asian Americans whose contributions to the nation and around the world are immeasurable. 

"As I’ve said before, America cannot solve the problems of the world alone, and the world cannot solve them without America.

At the same time, given the realities of today’s world, we can no longer approach our foreign policy solely country by country, or simply by carving the world into separate regions. With smart power, we will seek to build partnerships that transcend geographic and political boundaries.

In the months ahead, I will press for stronger bilateral, regional, and global cooperation when I meet with leaders of Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa, just as I will seek more robust engagement in my discussions with Asian leaders in Tokyo, Jakarta, Seoul, and Beijing next week."

Secretary Clinton emphasized United States' continual interests in fostering partnership with Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and Australia, to name a few. 

Mrs. Clinton commended Japan for assuming a leadership role in Asia by working collaboratively with others to address economic problems, explore space, and offer relief to victims of global disasters.  She also asserted that South Korea is one of the U.S. most historically staunch allies.

"...everyone who has followed the history of South Korea joins me in admiration for the transition that we have observed from static conditions of the past century to the dynamic state that South Korea finds itself in today. The United States and South Korea are both committed to expanding trade in a manner that benefits both of our countries, and we will work together to that end."

The rest of Secretary Clinton's speech was devoted to the US - China relationship as she discussed a partnership role instead of an economic rival, which was the Bush's approach. 

"It is vital to peace and prosperity, not only in the Asia-Pacific region, but worldwide. Our mutual economic engagement with China was evident during the economic growth of the past two decades. It is even clearer now in economic hard times and in the array – excuse me – in the array of global challenges we face, from nuclear security to climate change to pandemic disease and so much else.

"Some believe that China on the rise is by definition an adversary," Mrs. Clinton said at the Asia Society, "To the contrary, we believe the United States and China benefit from, and contribute to, each other’s successes. China has already asserted itself in positive ways as chair of the Six-Party Talks and in its participation in international peacekeeping efforts .”

She added that the U.S. would resume mid-level military-to-military discussions with China. The talks were suspended by Beijing in 2008, after U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

"It is in our interest to work harder to build on areas of common concern and shared opportunities. Even with our differences, the United States will remain committed to pursuing a positive relationship with China, one that is essential to America's peace, progress and prosperity."

Mrs. Clinton also expressed several U.S. concerns that would need China's active cooperation namely, the Tibetans' right to practice their religion without fear, a thorny issue with China, and climate change.  To that end, she plans to visit a US - China joint venture energy-efficient power plant in Beijing.

In her closing remarks, before taking questions from the audience, Mrs. Clinton recalled an ancient Chinese story of warring feudal states.

"An ancient Chinese story tells of warring feudal states, whose soldiers find themselves on a boat together crossing a wide river in a storm. Instead of fighting one another, they work together and survive. Now, from this story comes a Chinese aphorism that says, “When you are in a common boat, you need to cross the river peacefully together.” The wisdom of that aphorism must continue to guide us today.

So I will leave for Asia Sunday with a firm commitment to work very hard with our partners across the Pacific, to strengthen our engagement so that the positive transformations of the past half-century are replicated, mirrored, made stronger and more obvious in this century.

We have such an opportunity that I hope we will seize, but it is not just up to our government to do so. It is also up to Americans across our country, those of you here in the Asia Society, in the private sector, in academia, in labor and the professions, in nongovernmental organizations all.

Let us commit ourselves to providing the kind of outreach and responsiveness, understanding, and commitment that will lead not just to a better understanding, but positive actions to improve the lives of our own people here and those who live in Asia today."

Sources:

United States Department of State

 Asia Society Headquarter