Reengaging with Southeast Asia, Steering the Momentum: Factors Leading to Active American Foreign Policytowards Southeast Asia During the First Obama Administration and the Roleof President Obama in the Reengagement Policy Process

Main Article Content

Bhanubhatra Jittiang

Abstract

This article sets out to further an understanding of the factors leading to active foreign policy of the US towards Southeast Asia during the first Obama administration and of a role played by President Obama in the reengagement policy process. While the rise of China is considered a major factor leading to the US reengagement in Southeast Asia, the structure of Southeast Asian multilateralism, a call for American reengagement from Southeast Asian leaders, and a need to concludethe Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP),are mutually reinforcing. In terms of the making and the execution of the reengagement policy, while President Obama was a follower in the policy-making process by having his peer, played a greater role in policy initiations in office, he was an "active" type of follower who kept tracking a progress of the policy and played a prominent role as an "energetic executor" in the policy-implementing process.

Article Details

How to Cite
Jittiang, B. (2017). Reengaging with Southeast Asia, Steering the Momentum: Factors Leading to Active American Foreign Policytowards Southeast Asia During the First Obama Administration and the Roleof President Obama in the Reengagement Policy Process. Political Science and Public Administration Journal, 5(1), 1–14. Retrieved from https://so05.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/polscicmujournal/article/view/76996
Section
Special Articles

References

Aquino III, B. S. (2010). The Philippines: A new agenda for change. Remarksof His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino IIIPresident of the Philippines at the Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved from https://www.gov.ph/2010/09/24/speech-of-president-aquino-at-the-council-on-foreign-relations-new-york-city/

ASEAN Secretariat.(2012). ASEAN-China dialogue relations. Retrieved from https://www.asean.org/news/item/asean-china-dialogue-relations

Aslam, M. (2012). The impact of ASEAN-China Free Trade Area Agreement on ASEAN's manufacturing industry. International Journal of China Studies, 3 (1), 43 - 78.

Ba, A. (2009). Systemic neglect?A reconsideration of US-Southeast Asia policy.Contemporary Southeast Asia, 31(3), 369 - 398.

Bader, J. A. (2012).Obama and China's rise: An insider's account of America's Asia strategy. Washington, DC: The Brookings Institution.

Baker, P., and Cooper, H. (2008, November 21). Clinton is said to accept Secretary of State position. The New York Times.Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/22/us/politics/22obama.html?pagewanted=all

Chinwanno, C. (2009). Rising China and Thailand's policy of strategic engagement.In J.Tsunekawa (Ed.), The rise of China: Responses from Southeast Asia and. Tokyo: The National Institute for Defense Studies.

Chongkittavorn, K. (2012, July 16). Key players holding Asean hostage!.The Nation. Retrieved from
https://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Key-players-holding-Asean-hostage!-30186219.html

Cillizza, C. (2008, August 23). Obama picks Biden as V.P.The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/eye-on-2008/obama-picks-biden.html

Clinton, H. R. (2009a, February 13). US-Asia relations: Indispensable to our future. Remarks at the Asia Society, New York, NY. Retrieved from https://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/02/117333.htm

Clinton, H. R. (2009b, February 18). Beginning a new era of diplomacy in Asia. Remarks with ASEAN Secretary General Dr. SurinPitsuwan, Jakarta, Indonesia. Retrieved from https://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/02/119422.htm

Clinton, H. R. (2009c, February 19). Expanding the U.S.-Indonesian dialogue. Roundtable with Indonesian journalists, Jakarta, Indonesia. Retrieved from https://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/02/119423.htm

Clinton, H. R. (2011). America's Pacific Century. Foreign Policy,(Novermber). Retrieved from https://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/10/11/americas_pacific_century

Ferguson, I. F., Cooper, W. H., Jurenas, R., and Williams, B. R. (2013).The Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations and issues for Congress.(CRS Report No. R42694). Washington DC: Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service. Retrieved from https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R42694.pdf

Jacques, M. (2009).When China rules the world - The rise of the Middle Kingdom and the end of the western world. London: Penguin.

Kaplan, R. D. 2010. The geography of Chinese power: How far can Beijing reach on land and at sea?. Foreign Affairs, 89(3), 22 - 41.

Kroft, S. (Interviewer), Obama B. (Interviewee), and Clinton, H. R. (Interviewee). (2013). President Obama and Hillary Clinton 60 minutes interview [Interview transcript]. Retrieved from https://www.forextv.com/forexnews-story/president-obama-and-hillary-clinton-60-minutes-interview-full-transcript-video

Kuik, C. C., Idris, N. A., and MdNor, A. R. (2012). The China factor in the U.S. "Reengagement" with Southeast Asia: Drivers and limits of converged hedging. Asian Politics & Policy, 4(3), 315 - 344.

Manyin, M. E., Daggett, S., Dolven, B., Lawrence, S. V., Martin, M. F., O'Rourke, R., and Vaughn, B.(2012). Pivot to the Pacific? The Obama administration's "Rebalancing" toward Asia. (CRS Report No. R42448). Washington DC: Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service. Retrieved from https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R42448.pdf

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of People's Republic of China. (2013). Xi Jinping meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, stressing China and Cambodia are good neighbors, friends, partners and brothers. Retrieved from https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/zxxx/t1029402.shtml

Nagourney, A., and Zeleny, J. (2008, August 23). Obama's pick adds foreign expertise to ticket. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/us/politics/24veep.html?pagewanted=all

Sutter, R. G., Brown M. E., and Adamson, J. A., with Mochizuki, M. M., and Ollapally, D. (2013). Balancing acts: The U.S. rebalance and Asia-Pacific stability. Washington, DC: The Sigur Center for Asian Studies, The Elliott School of International Affairs, The George Washington University. Retrieved from https://www.gwu.edu/~sigur/assets/docs/BalancingActs_Compiled1.pdf

Tong, S. Y., and Chong, C. (2010).China-ASEAN free trade area in 2010: A regional perspective. EAI Background Brief No. 519.Singapore: The East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.eai.nus.edu.sg/BB519.pdf

Vaughn, B., and Morrison, W. M. (2006).China-Southeast Asia relations: Trends, issues, and implications for the United States. (CRS Report No. RL32688). Washington DC: Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service. Retrieved from https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/RL32688.pdf

Wen, J. Y. (2012).The Trans-Pacific Partnership and China's corresponding strategies. A Freeman Briefing Report. Washington, DC: Center for Strategic and International Studies. Retrieved from https://csis.org/files/publication/120620_Freeman_Brief.pdf

White House.(2006). National security strategy. Retrieved from https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/nsc/nss/2006/index.html

White House. (2009a, July 31). Remarks by President Obama and President Arroyo of the Philippines in joint press availability, Washington, DC. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-President-Obama-and-President-Arroyo-of-the-Philippines-in-Joint-Press-Availability-7-30-09

White House. (2009b, November 14). Remarks by President Barack Obama at Suntory Hall, Tokyo, Japan. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-barack-obama-suntory-hall

White House. (2009c, November 15). Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Abhisit of Thailand after ASEAN-10 meeting. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-presidentobama-and-prime-minister-vejjajiva-thailand-after-asean-10-meetin

White House. (2009d, November 15). US-ASEAN leaders joint statement. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/us-asean-leaders-joint-statement

White House.(2010). National security strategy. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/national_security_strategy.pdf

White House. (2011a, November 16). Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Gillard of Australia in joint press conference, Canberra, Australia. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-pressoffice/2011/11/16/remarks-president-obama-and-prime-minister-gillard-australia-joint-press

White House. (2011b, November 18). Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Najibof Malaysia before bilateral meeting, Bali, Indonesia.Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/11/18/remarks-president-obama-and-prime-minister-najib-malaysia-bilateral-meet

White House. (2012, November 18). Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Shinawatra in a joint press conference, Bangkok, Thailand. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/11/18/remarks-president-obama-and-prime-minister-shinawatra-joint-press-confer

White House. (2013, July 25). Remarks by President Obama and President Truong Tan Sang of Vietnam after bilateral meeting, Washington, DC. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/07/25/remarks-president-obama-and-president-truong-tan-sang-vietnam-after-bila