In year of 2009 US President Barack Obama began the Strategy of “Pivot to Asia’ and released his “rebalancing Asia policy” in order to enhance US influence toward Asia and maintained peace and stability in Asia. Under Obama’s perspective the US Department of Defense proclaimed concept of the “Air-See Battle operation” and deployed regional military presence regarding security of entire Asia-Pacific nations. Additionally, US administration also initiated a Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement to integrate Nations of Asia-Pacific region from the economic aspect. Obama’s trip to South-East Asia following his re-election showed his policy of priority “pivot to Asia” was more active and intensive compared with his first term.
It is difficult to analyze the “US Asia pivot” from the realist or liberalist school of thought. However, if we apply Social Constructivism point of view, we can easily understand that the US administration has begun to formulate a collective identity with its allies in Asia-Pacific regions. That is, under Social Constructivist perspective, two different actors under social interactions will create different anarchical cultures, and the resulting different culture generates a different identity. International actors with dissimilar identities lead to a different interests and policies. In sum, Actors with certain social identity will conduct national interest and its following policy.
The author believes that the US has begun to establish a diverse collective identity with Asia-Pacific Nations in order to counter-influence from China, because the most dangerous and potential enemy from US perspective is China. The author uses four indicators of collective identity to verify relationships between US and Asia-Pacific Nations, i.e. common fate, interdependence, homogeneity and self-constraint. And the most important factor impacting to accomplish US-Asia Nations’ collective identity will be dependent on the objectives and goals at the primary actor, President Obama.
Relation:
International Conference on Asia-American Relations after the 2012 US President election=2012年總統大選後美國與亞洲關係, 24p.
