Impact of the U.S. Pivot on the Asia Pacific Region

Source: CCTV America

Douglas Paal appeared on CCTV America to dismiss the myth that the Obama administration’s “pivot to Asia” has emboldened countries in the region. He asserted that such claims get the chronology wrong and that tensions in the region began to heat up following the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which led U.S. partners in the region to call for the pivot, which began in 2011. Similarly, he rejected the idea that the administration’s reluctance to intervene in the territorial disputes indicates an unwillingness to support American partners in the region, pointing out that the United States seems to be increasingly willing to transfer military equipment to Hanoi and Manila, to step up military-to-military cooperation, and to strengthen their technical capabilities. 

This interview was originally broadcast by CCTV America.