WASHINGTON/CALIFORNIA: The Indo Pacific is home to more than half of the world’s population and 60 per cent of the global economy, spanning the US Pacific Coast and the Indian Ocean – including much of Asia.
It is this region that United States officials describe as one of the most important, with US President Joe Biden recently signing funding into law to support it.
The Biden administration released its Indo-Pacific Strategy two years ago, calling on the US to “firmly anchor itself in the region” and to work together with partners to ensure a connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient Indo Pacific.
The US State Department touts US$2 billion in two-way trade as a sign of the strategy’s success.
“The United States has shifted from being primarily an aid provider to an investment partner,” Ms Camille Dawson, deputy assistant secretary of the State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told CNA.
“That, I think, is critically important, and that reflects the growing economic strength of the region and also reflects, again, the fact that the economy of the Indo-Pacific region is critically important to prosperity for Americans living in the United States.”
Despite divisions on a host of issues, there is an understanding on Capitol Hill that the US’ interests lie in staying the course in the Indo Pacific.
“One of the things that I regularly hear from colleagues across the bipartisan spread of US Congress as well as across the entire whole of government in the United States, is a deep recognition of and support of the need for the United States to remain fully engaged in the Indo-Pacific region,” said Ms Lawson.
About US$3.3 billion has been allocated to developing submarine infrastructure, with an additional US$2 billion in foreign military financing for Taiwan and other allies in the region to support them “confronting Chinese aggression”.
The US’ security concerns in the region include North Korea and its support of Russia, as well as China’s intentions – particularly over the self-ruled island of Taiwan which Beijing considers as its own.
That has also led to security partnerships like AUKUS, which stands for Australia, the United Kingdom and the US. Formed by the three countries in 2021, it is part of efforts to push back against China’s growing power in the Indo-Pacific region.
Washington is further investing in cyber, AI and undersea defence with AUKUS allies, including nuclear-powered submarines. It has also entered an alliance of democracies with shared economic and security goals through the Quad grouping with Australia, India and Japan. Source: CNA
