Barack Obama’s Four-Nation Trip to Asia: Rebalance to Asia-Pacific Undershoots Expectations
From: CCCWS| 06-09-2014| By: CCCWS
From April 23rd to 29th, Barack Obama visited Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines, hoping to push ahead with the Asia-Pacific rebalancing strategy so as to strengthen US strategic presence in the region. To cement alliances with US Asian allies, Obama claimed that US-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security applies to the Diaoyu Islands and that US shares strong concern with Japan over the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone set by China. Obama also expressed concern with South Korea over what would be the fourth nuclear test by North Korea and delayed the planned takeover of wartime operational control (OPCON) over South Korean forces from US. A new security pact was signed between US and the Philippines to enhance the former’s security deployment.