Judging from the remarks made by U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in his ongoing Asia tour, it is crystal clear that Washington is involving itself deeper in the affairs in the Asia-Pacific region.
Worse, it is not difficult to conclude that Washington, even though it is outside the region, is openly assuming the task of raising the temperature over the South China Sea issue; an issue that should only involve China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
In a meeting with defense ministers from ASEAN in Bali, Indonesia on Sunday, Panetta said: “I want to reiterate that the United States is a Pacific nation with enduring interests and commitments to our allies and partners in the region.”
To further reassure its allies in the region, one day later in Japan, Panetta said that the looming cuts in U.S. defense spending would not affect its ability to maintain a strong military presence in the Pacific.
Given that a handful of countries in the region have covertly or overtly courted the U.S. support in their disputes with China over the South China Sea issue and that the U.S. has openly made a link between the waters and its interests, the Pentagon chief’s stance could embolden those countries to slip further along the road of confrontation.
The hard-line stance of the Philippines over its maritime disputes with China bears the hallmark of U.S. meddling. Buoyed by the U.S. support, Manila now indulges itself in provoking China over the dispute.
In the latest instance, Manila has refused to return the Chinese fishing boats its navy illegally seized near the disputed waters on Oct. 18 and has demanded “third party” arbitration.
The U.S. may have justifications for reshaping its Asia policy as it readjusts it global strategy. But, if, in any way, the U.S. manifesto for a presence in Asia leads to an escalation of tension in regional disputes, it can only be bad news for countries in the region. It would certainly have an adverse effect on Sino-U.S. relations.
In this regard, former U.S. national security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski was wise to warn against a zero-sum rivalry between the U.S. and China. In his speech at the John Hopkins University on Monday, Brzezinski said, “It is evident that neither can afford a zero-sum rivalry.”
But if countries like the U.S. and the Philippines do not refrain from stirring up trouble over the South China Sea issue, it is tantamount to seeking a zero-sum rivalry with China.
These countries would do better to divert their attention and channel their energy toward shoring up the world economy, which is teetering on the brink of a second recession.
