Asia Welcomes Return of US

Following years of relative neglect by Washington, Mrs Clinton (center) signed a landmark friendship pact with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the Thai resort island of Phuket. --PHOTO: AP

BANGKOK - EAST Asian nations will broadly welcome US moves to reengage with the region, with the world's most powerful country offering a counterweight to China's growing clout, analysts and diplomats said.

US shows commitment Southeast Asian diplomats at the conference said that the US had shown its commitment in recent years despite criticisms of its foreign policy throughout the presidency of George W. Bush. During the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, its military led the humanitarian effort in Aceh, while there had been valuable anti-terror cooperation with the Philippines, they said. ... more

Suspicions about China's hegemonic aims have also added to satisfaction at Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's announcement during the region's biggest security forum this week that the 'United States is back'.

Following years of relative neglect by Washington, Mrs Clinton signed a landmark friendship pact with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the Thai resort island of Phuket.

While communist Vietnam and Laos and former communist Cambodia may have reservations about the increased US involvement, staunch allies such as Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore are glad to see Washington back in play, analysts said.

'The United States does not want to be perceived to be ceding influence in the region,' John Harrison, a security analyst at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, told AFP.

Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo said in his opening remarks to Mrs Clinton on Wednesday that the United States is the 'key pillar for stability in the region in the 21st century'.

'The US is therefore an integral part of our past, our present and our future,' he said, adding that the region's countries 'appreciate the gestures you have made.' These included actually attending the broader, 27-member ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) that also groups the United States, China, Japan, Russia, South and North Korea and others - her predecessor Condoleezza Rice missed two.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo said that the signing of the treaty of amity and understanding on Wednesday - six years after China inked the pact - was a 'very positive and affirmative sign.'

'This means they (Washington) will get engaged with all the issues pertaining not only to ASEAN but to northeast Asia and Asia. The US wants to get engaged and therefore this is good,' he said. -- AFP