VietNamNet Bridge – Welcoming the leaders of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at Sunnylands estate in Rancho Mirage, California, US President Barack Obama said he hoped that the US-ASEAN Summit this time will achieve specific results to create new momentum for the rebalance policy, which is considered the greatest foreign policy legacy in his two terms.

President Obama welcomes PM Nguyen Tan Dung in California.

In the speech to welcome ASEAN leaders, Obama repeatedly mentioned his personal attachment to Southeast Asia.

“As everyone knows, I first came to know the people and the beauty and the strength of Southeast Asia as a boy when I lived in Indonesia for several years with my mother. As President, I’ve had the opportunity to visit most of your countries.... I'm proud to be the first U.S. President to meet with leaders of all 10 ASEAN countries,” he said in his speech at the opening session of the US-ASEAN Summit.

Obama has visited seven ASEAN countries and the list will be extended this year because the US president plans to visit Vietnam and other countries in the region this May.

But the legacy that Obama leaves in the relations with Southeast Asia is bigger than his official visits. Bilateral trade turnover between the US and ASEAN has increased 55 percent since Obama began his term in 2009. Southeast Asia has become the fourth largest trading partner of the US, while US companies currently take the lead in investment in this region, with US$226 billion, doubling the figure in 2009.

Late last year, the US and ASEAN decided to upgrade bilateral ties to the strategic partnership. And today, Obama achieved a hallmark in history as the first US president welcoming 10 ASEAN senior leaders at the same time in his home country.

“It is my privilege to welcome you to this landmark gathering - the first US-ASEAN Summit hosted by the US.  This reflects my personal commitment, and the national commitment of the US, to a strong and enduring partnership with your 10 nations individually and to Southeast Asia as one region, as one community – ASEAN,” Obama said.

The relationship with ASEAN countries and ASEAN has become one of the focuses of the rebalance policy towards Asia - the strategy initiated by Obama when he started his presidency.

With this policy, economically, Washington has strongly enhanced the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which was signed last month, with the participation of four ASEAN countries, including Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Regarding security and politics, the US has gradually shifted its warships and military equipment with a 60%-40% ratio to the Pacific Ocean and at the same time it has strengthened traditional alliances, accelerated the building of new alliances and new partners. The most typical example is its strengthening of political - economic - military cooperation with Vietnam.

US-China competition

No doubt, the rebalance policy is likely to become Obama's biggest legacy. But the return of the US in Asia has not been smooth owing to China’s fierce competition while the US has other interests in Europe and the Middle East.

During the two decades before Obama took office, Beijing quietly rose in both economic and military aspects. Once it established the position of a newly emerging power, China no longer hid its ambition of expanding its influence, particularly in the East China Sea (Senkaku/Diaoyu dispute with Japan) and in the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea) (illegally expanding reefs, building artificial islands in the Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands of Vietnam, issuing illegal fishing bans, among other actions). These actions have directly challenged the existing order that the US has been ruling.

Asia, especially Southeast Asia, once again becomes a region for strategic competition between the two powers.

At Sunnylands estate, Obama wanted to reaffirm America’s commitment to the region because of the concern about the rise and expansion of China, especially the massive construction of artificial islands and the militarizing activities in the East Sea.

Meanwhile, China does not hide its special concern about what is happening at Sunnylands. International media has reported that Beijing is trying to put pressure on some ASEAN member countries to not sign the joint statement of the summit if it mentions the East Sea.

This tactic was previously successfully used at several ASEAN Summits. However, at Sunnylands, it looks like that the US will not let that happen as both Obama and his national security adviser – Ms. Susan Rice – confirmed that the East Sea is one of the focuses of discussion at this Summit.

Thu Ha (from Sunnylands estate in Rancho Mirage, California, USA)