Paula Tricia G.

Mendoza-Bagnes
17 February 2016
A Reaction Paper to Southeast Asia, strategically important for U.S. rebalance to Asia1
The CNN article is about the US-ASEAN Summit in California and its importance to the
United States role in the Pacific. The article opened,
The partnership between the United States and the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations has been crucial in addressing shared challenges on international concerns
such as terrorism and human trafficking, fighting pandemics, climate change, and even
upholding international law and standards in the South China Sea.

For a Filipino layman, this bit of news is related to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation
Agreement (EDCA), which was recently declared as constitutional by the Supreme Court,2 and
to the maritime dispute of the Philippines with China. For him, this is all about the U.S. giving a
helping hand to the ASEAN countries, and that it is all about territory. In part, he is right.
However, in the article, it mentioned that [a]ccording to Malacaang, the summit would
cover maritime security, counter-terrorism measures, and transnational challenges to enhance
free trade in the region including the trade route in South China Sea. Therefore, this is not
just about the U.S. helping the ASEAN countries, but, rather, it is about the U.S. helping the
ASEAN so the ASEAN can help the U.S. You scratch my back, and Ill scratch yours. It is
about reciprocity and free trade. This article explains that the U.S. trade relation with the
ASEAN is the U.S. government goal in this California Summit. President Barack Obama wants
to present the United States as a Pacific power, and [h]is meeting with leaders from the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was aimed at cementing that legacy.3
Since 2012, the U.S. rebalancing in Asia has been mentioned in articles and speeches.4
This means that the U.S. is assigning higher priority and political, economic, and security
resources to the region because of its dynamism and opportunities for the U.S. The fundamental
elements of the rebalancing have included:
Strengthening of relationships with allies and partners, including emerging
powers such as India and Indonesia;
Embedding the U.S. in the emerging political, security, and economic
architecture, including the East Asia Summit, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP),
1

Fiona Nicolas, Southeast Asia, strategically important for U.S. rebalance to Asia, CNN Philippines, 16 February 2016 <
http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2016/02/15/US-ASEAN-meeting-summit-sunnyland-estate-california.html> (visited last 17
February 2016).
2
Saguisag v. Executive Secretary Ochoa Jr., G.R. Nos. 212426 & 212444, 12 January 2016.
3
Jeff Mason, Obama, Southeast Asia leaders eye China and trade at California summit, Reuters, 16 February 2016 <
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-asean-idUSKCN0VO0GO> (visited last 17 February 2016).
4
The Importance of the Asia-Pacific Region, The Voice of America, 24 September 2012 < http://editorials.voa.gov/content/theimportance-of-the-asia-pacific-region/1514099.html> (visited last 17 February 2016); Jeffrey A. Bader, U.S. Policy: Balancing in
Asia, and Rebalancing to Asia, September 2014 < http://www.brookings.edu/research/opinions/2014/09/23-us-policyrebalancing-asia-bader> (visited last 17 February 2016); Rose Gottemoeller, The Role of the United States in Asia-Pacific
Security, 6 March 2015 < http://www.state.gov/t/us/2015/239922.htm> (visited last 17 February 2016).

and a more extensive and structured relationship with the Association of

Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); and
Maintaining a positive and stable relationship with China, in which cooperation
on global issues develops and competition on security and economic issues is
contained and managed.5
This shows how important the ASEAN is to the U.S. in terms of trade. Collectively, the
ASEAN comprises the third largest economy in Asia, the seventh largest in the world, with a
combined GDP of $2.4 trillion.6 It supports more than 500,000 American jobs.7
The ASEAN is not so small at all.

Jeffrey A. Bader, supra.

Fiona Nicolas, supra.
7
Id.
6