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| Image: Wiki Commons |
By Diplomatic Access
Assistant Secretary Daniel Russel on the U.S. rebalance to Asia, the South China Sea, the TPP, and more.
For spring 2015, The Diplomat presents “Diplomatic Access,” a series of exclusive interviews with ambassadors from the Asia-Pacific region. By talking to these diplomats, we’ll give readers a sense of each country’s perspective on various regional economic and security trends — from TPP to the Silk Road Economic Belt; from the South China Sea disputes to the Islamic State. Check out the whole series to date here.
In this interview, Daniel Russel, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, talks about the U.S. rebalance to Asia, the South China Sea, the TPP, and U.S.-China relations.
The Diplomat: From the United States’ perspective, what are the greatest threats to Asia-Pacific security?
Assistant Secretary Russel: Let me start with what’s going well. From the United States’ perspective there are many great stories to tell in the Asia-Pacific region. The 70th anniversary of the end of World War II prompts us to look back at how much the region has achieved — building peace among nations through dialogue and diplomacy; lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty and expanding the middle class; learning to sustain growing populations and also protect the environment; and creating agreements and institutions that enable these accomplishments and can preserve their benefits for future generations.
That said, every region faces threats to its security, and we can’t afford complacency.
Any failure by a nation in the Asia-Pacific region to respect the rule of law and the norms set by the international system is cause for concern. The region has prospered under the post-World War II system that evolved over the last 70 years. People don’t think about it every day, but international air travel, shipping food and car parts and currency from one country to another, and protecting business investments in other countries — all these things we take for granted depend on respect for rules and international law.
When countries act inconsistently with international law, the dangers multiply quickly.
Read the full story at The Diplomat