Asia-Pacific Region & U.S. Interests Crucial Int

There are three vital United States interests in the Asia-Pacific region: (1) open access to economic markets; (2) a region free from domination by a single power or power bloc; and (3) governments dedicated to preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Of these three, the first interest is the most crucial because the Asia-Pacific region has the potential for becoming the largest single market for American goods and services and because China and Japan will soon have economies larger than any other countries, save the United States.

The reason why maintaining open economic markets constitutes the most crucial U.S. interest in the region is the growth in importance of economic issues as a whole. During the Cold War, United States policies in Asia were focused upon the containment of communism. With the demise of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991, however, containment became obsolete. Although the People's Republic of China remained communist, its government was already exhibiting a willingness to adopt free market principles in its economy and a willingness to cooperate with the United States and its allies in numerous areas. The other communist nations in the region, particularly Vietnam, were too poor and backward to pose any threat to any vital Western interests and themselves were looking for economic cooperation with Western countries. Consequently, the vital interest which h

. . .
n cultural hegemony. Chinese resentment of perceived Western cultural superiority could induce Chinese leaders to place restrictions on the opening of their economic market to the United States. In addition, the issue of Western cultural hegemony is one which has the potential of economically uniting Asian countries against the United States. Concepts Therefore, the primary concept for achieving this objective must focus upon smoothing out sticking points in the U.S.-Chinese relationship which are arising from the cultural hegemony issue. This concept must include various methods of engaging the Chinese leaders in dialogues which will reassure them that U.S. and other Western leaders are not seeking to impose Western culture upon Asian countries as a part of an effort to maintain open economic markets in the region. In addition, U.S. leaders must cease their efforts to tie Chinese membership in the World trade Organization (WTO) to human rights issues. While human rights reforms in Asia may have been an important interest in the past, Asian perceptions of Western cultural hegemony have made them obstacles to maintaining open economic markets. This concept will require some changes in current U.S. policy. Since the early 1
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
West Mahbubani, Republic China, Soviet Union, Europe Wilborn, United Concepts, Clinton Administration, United Western, United Asia-Pacific, Moreover Asian-Pacific, Organization WTO, asia-pacific region, economic markets, western cultural, trade routes, cultural hegemony, albright 1997, chinese government, nations region, human rights, foreign policy, army war college, western cultural hegemony, strategic studies asia-pacific, maintaining economic markets, regional strategic studies,
Approximate Word count = 1911
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)