As the new Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton recently visited four Asian countries – Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and China – as her first overseas tour. This unprecedented move is based on a desire to keep old alliances strong and make new friends in Asia.
Hillary Clinton’s Trip to Japan and South Korea
Secretary Clinton’s first stops in Asia were Japan and South Korea. These two countries have long been key US allies in the region. Japan and South Korea are both huge US trading partners and facilitate a US military presence in the region, which policymakers intend to use to keep North Korea and Russia in check.
Visiting Japan and South Korea first is natural. These countries are naturally anxious about China’s rapid rise to economic (and, increasingly, military) power. Secretary Clinton is looking to send a message: Japan and South Korea are still the most important allies in Asia.
Hillary Clinton’s Trip to Indonesia
Hillary Clinton’s trip to Indonesia also has a strong basis. In a time when the US is involved in two wars in two different Muslim countries, policymakers in Washington are looking to do damage-control on the US image abroad, especially in Muslim nations. By including Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, on her itinerary, Hillary Clinton is taking a step forward in smoothing relations between the US and the Muslim world.
Hillary Clinton’s Trip to China
Secretary Clinton’s last country was China, which was perhaps the most significant stop on her trip. China’s rapid economic growth in recent years is intimately linked with the US. Stable relations between the two are essential. Furthermore, as a rising political as well as economic power, the US needs China’s support on a range of issues, including climate change, North Korean nuclear weapons and trade issues.
Visiting China means a new shift in relations between China and the US. Washington is sending Beijing a message, saying that China is now a clear priority and major player in international relations and the US will change its behavior towards China to match that status.
Hillary Clinton’s trip to China is a message to leaders in Beijing that Washington recognizes the rise of China as a global power and Sino-American relations are a priority for the Obama administration. While in Asia, Secretary Clinton also sought to firm up old alliances and reassure the US commitment to Japan and South Korea, all while giving the American image in Muslim countries a facelift by visiting Indonesia.
