Khanh Chan

New Aspects of the American Armed Forces Rebalancing Strategy in Southeast Asia in the 21st century

ЮГО-ВОСТОЧНАЯ АЗИЯ: АКТУАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ РАЗВИТИЯ, 2014, №24, 19-33

 
Annotation: Doctor Tran Khanh analysis the period since the end of the 1990’s, i.e. after the end of the Cold War. He accesses policy of the USA as a reaction to China’s rise as a new global power, regarding its impact on the situation in Asia Pacific, mainly in SEA. The strategic concept of "rebalancing" presented by the U.S. President Barack Obama, as well as the principles exposed in the speech “America’s Pacific Century” by the former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the APEC forum on Hawaii in November 2011 are the basis for this policy nowadays. These programs are mainly of economic character and are aimed at providing for the state interests and safety of the USA and their partners in the Asia Pacific. The author examines in general military strategy of the USA. He supposes that the policy of "a pivot", of "returning to Asia" and strategy of "rebalancing of armed forces" has been amplified with the aim to partially control China’s revival in recent years and expand geopolitical space for the USA. For realization of this strategy the USA use a complex of forces - diplomatic, military, economic, as well as promote the so-called democratic values. This policy takes into consideration China’s Soft Power strategy in transformation of the world, of its "Charm Offensive" realized through stimulating mechanisms for friendly bilateral and multilateral cooperation with the ASEAN countries.

Keywords: USA, ASEAN, SECURITY PROBLEMS, REBALANCING OF ARMED FORCES, MILITARY STRATEGY, JOINT MILITARY EXERCISES, ARMS EXPORT, MILITARY ASSISTANCE, CHINA, SOFT POWER, DRASTIC MEASURES, SOVEREIGNTY OVER ISLANDS, RUSSIA, CRISIS IN UKRAINE, ASIA PACIFIC, SEA, PIVOT TO ASIA, AGREEMENTS