11 December 2015
Southeast Asia and the United States: A Stable Foundation in an Uncertain Environment?
Executive Summary
The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) and The Brookings Institution of Washington, D.C., co-hosted a conference on “Southeast Asia and the United States: A Stable Foundation in an Uncertain Environment”. The conference took place at The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore on 19 October 2015. The Brookings Institution was represented by its President, Mr Strobe Talbott, and a team from the Center for East Asia Policy Studies. The latter hosts the Lee Kuan Yew Chair in Southeast Asia Studies. The objective of the conference was to recognise the strength of Southeast Asia-U.S. relations and to enhance intellectual exchange on key regional security issues of mutual interest.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Ong Keng Yong, Executive Deputy Chairman of RSIS, described the United States (U.S.) role in Asia as indispensable. Not only in military terms with the presence of the US Navy’s 7th Fleet and forward-deployed forces in Northeast Asia, but also in economic terms with the opening up of the U.S. economy to emerging Asian economies. Amb Ong shared that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) had been a capable partner of the U.S., with whom it has shared a long history of cooperation. He explained how uncertainty is currently the most common descriptor of the global environment and highlighted the need for collective action from the international community.
Brookings President Mr Talbott followed with his opening remarks, highlighting that the timing of the conference coincided with Singapore and the U.S.’ preparations to mark 50 years of formal diplomatic relations next year. He acknowledged the challenge of searching for indicators of future U.S. engagement in the region amidst the current presidential campaign, but assured that the U.S. shares ASEAN’s goals of ensuring a stable regional security architecture, as well as respect for international law and norms to support peaceful growth. He recognised that many nations, including the U.S., have political systems that are underperforming. He closed by asking the audience if the upside of globalisation was giving way to its downside.
The conference keynote address was delivered by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean. Besides the three panel sessions, the conference also included a distinguished public lecture by General (Ret.) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Republic of Indonesia. RSIS associates and members of the public were invited to this lecture.
Executive Summary
The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) and The Brookings Institution of Washington, D.C., co-hosted a conference on “Southeast Asia and the United States: A Stable Foundation in an Uncertain Environment”. The conference took place at The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore on 19 October 2015. The Brookings Institution was represented by its President, Mr Strobe Talbott, and a team from the Center for East Asia Policy Studies. The latter hosts the Lee Kuan Yew Chair in Southeast Asia Studies. The objective of the conference was to recognise the strength of Southeast Asia-U.S. relations and to enhance intellectual exchange on key regional security issues of mutual interest.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Ong Keng Yong, Executive Deputy Chairman of RSIS, described the United States (U.S.) role in Asia as indispensable. Not only in military terms with the presence of the US Navy’s 7th Fleet and forward-deployed forces in Northeast Asia, but also in economic terms with the opening up of the U.S. economy to emerging Asian economies. Amb Ong shared that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) had been a capable partner of the U.S., with whom it has shared a long history of cooperation. He explained how uncertainty is currently the most common descriptor of the global environment and highlighted the need for collective action from the international community.
Brookings President Mr Talbott followed with his opening remarks, highlighting that the timing of the conference coincided with Singapore and the U.S.’ preparations to mark 50 years of formal diplomatic relations next year. He acknowledged the challenge of searching for indicators of future U.S. engagement in the region amidst the current presidential campaign, but assured that the U.S. shares ASEAN’s goals of ensuring a stable regional security architecture, as well as respect for international law and norms to support peaceful growth. He recognised that many nations, including the U.S., have political systems that are underperforming. He closed by asking the audience if the upside of globalisation was giving way to its downside.
The conference keynote address was delivered by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean. Besides the three panel sessions, the conference also included a distinguished public lecture by General (Ret.) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Republic of Indonesia. RSIS associates and members of the public were invited to this lecture.
