US to 'rebuild power' in Asia

By Zhang Wen

US President Barack Obama and leaders from Southeast Asian countries agreed Friday on the importance of a "peaceful resolution" in dealing with regional disputes, including the South China Sea issue, media reports said Saturday.

According to AFP, Obama said at the New York summit that the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) had the potential for true world leadership, pressing home his plan of rebuilding US power in the dynamic region.

"As president, I've ... made it clear that the US intends to play a leadership role in Asia," Obama added.

ASEAN countries also expressed opposition of the "use or threat of force" by any country trying to enforce claims in the South China Sea, the Los Angeles Times reported.

There was no mention in a US statement about the talks, nor a joint communique of a call made by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in July for multilateral talks on regional security rows.

Earlier this week, China had said it was concerned about any sort of possible South China Sea announcement made by the US and the ASEAN.

"We resolutely oppose any country that has no connection to the South China Sea getting involved in the issue, and we oppose the internationalization, multilateralization or expansion of the issue," said Jiang Yu, spokeswoman of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Liu Ming, deputy director of the Institute of Asian Studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said that Obama's statement, though softened, showed that the US, as a "outsider," is trying to internationalize the South China Sea issue.

"It also marked the Obama administration's continued effort to reengage in Asia," Liu added.

South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported Saturday that the US is using the "territorial dispute" to win over China's neighboring countries.

"Without any significant achievement on issues such as anti-terrorism, Iran's nuclear program and the Korean Peninsula, Obama is shifting his focus to Asia," said Jin Canrong, a professor of international relations at the Renmin University of China, adding that a deeper engagement from the US does not mean the decline of Chinese influence in the region.

Viewing China as a very important trade partner and neighbor, ASEAN countries are also struggling to reach a balance between China and the US.

According to professor Ding Xueliang from the University of Hong Kong, many Western scholars have pointed out that there is no precedent in modern history for an emerging power not causing conflicts.

For most South Asian countries, though they may not agree with many US policies, Washington is helping them reach a power balance in a region with Beijing.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told the Wall Street Journal on Friday, "The US is one of the most important international relationships for ASEAN. China is a big story and a major trading partner for us, but it is not the whole story."

US exports to ASEAN countries will reach $68 billion this year, up from $53.8 billion last year, according to the Journal.

About 44,000 university students from ASEAN countries study in the US, the fourth-largest source of university students in the US.

Agencies contributed to this story