Asia Unbound Wenchi Yu: President Obamas Underreported Asia Strategy

5/19/14 6:33 PM

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Asia Unbound
CFR experts give their take on the cutting-edge issues emerging in Asia today.

Wenchi Yu: President Obamas

Underreported Asia Strategy
by Guest Blogger for Elizabeth C. Economy
May 2, 2014

Wenchi Yu is an Asia Society fellow, a Project 2049

Institute fellow, and a former U.S. Department of State
official. She is the managing partner of the Banyan
Advisory Group LLC, which focuses on social investment
in Asia. Follow her on Twitter: @WenchiY.
President Barack Obama just returned from Asia after an
eight-day, four-country visit to the region. International
U.S. president Barack Obama high fives a member of
the audience as he leaves after the Young Southeast
Asian Leadership Intiative (YSEALI) Town Hall inside
the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur on April 27,
2014. (Samsul Said/Courtesy Reuters)

media coverage carefully examined the Obama

administrations pivot, or rebalancing, to Asia
through trade, military, and other security issues and the
reaction of China to the presidents visit. But given the

United States complex diplomatic relations with the region, it is the presidents people-to-people
diplomacy in Southeast Asia that is most likely to result in long-term goodwill from the region.
Despite growing trade relations between the United States and Southeast Asia, diplomatic relations are
historically weak. A critical part of the Obama administrations Asia policy is increasing engagement in
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Asia Unbound Wenchi Yu: President Obamas Underreported Asia Strategy

5/19/14 6:33 PM

Southeast Asiaa region with diverse ethnicities, languages, and cultures, as well as emerging economies,
moderate Muslim-majority countries, and a political bloc, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN), with increasing influence in regional matters. While maintaining strong relationships with allies
like Japan, Korea, and Australia remains a priority, Washington has the most to gain by investing time
and resources in its partners in Southeast Asia.
In this vein, a core U.S. strategy has been and should be people-to-people diplomacy using non-security
issues such as innovation, technology, entrepreneurship, gender equality, youth, and development as tools
for engagement. In Southeast Asia, people-to-people diplomacy has manifested itself in strategic
initiatives such as the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, the
annual U.S.-ASEAN Business Summit, the Lower Mekong Initiative, and entrepreneurship and womenfocused programs. The U.S. State Department underwent organizational changes to embed a senior
(deputy assistant secretary) position in the regional bureau to carry out public diplomacy programs.
Embassies and ambassadors are encouraged to use social mediapopular in the regionto reach out to
new and young audiences. For example, Americas popular ambassador to Thailand, Kristie Kenney, uses
Twitter extensively to communicate with her nearly fifty-thousand followers. In Jakarta, the
@america cultural center uses technology to engage young Indonesians with American culture and
values. Most of these people-to-people efforts are welcomed by this regions governments and societies
because they speak directly to citizens, bring new opportunities, and bridge differences. To the United
States, investing in and influencing open-minded, innovative, and moderate emerging leaders is an
important long-term strategy. The goal is simplewin the hearts and minds of the people and future
leaders.
This strategy is working on the ground and American diplomats are doing it more. During Obamas visit to
Malaysiathe first American presidential visit in forty-eight yearshe held a town hall event with five
hundred Malaysian university students. He also held a business signing ceremony for major U.S.-Malaysia
commercial deals and spoke with young entrepreneurs from Southeast Asia to discuss challenges
facing their societies. When young social entrepreneurs, with U.S. support, are given the opportunity to
present their own solutions to community problems, they are much more likely to develop a positive
impression of the United States. Although these efforts do not replace important security and military
cooperation, Obamas message was clearpeople-to-people engagement is an important part of U.S.

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policy in the region.

Still, winning the hearts and minds of the people is not just about unquestioning support. As one young
Malaysian woman remarked, America used to stand for freedom of speech and democracy, pushing for
more civil society space. But Obamas historic visit to Kuala Lumpurseen as a boost for Malaysias
highly unpopular prime minister Najib Razakwas rather confusing to her. Why would America stand by
a leader who has so many issues at home? Is America compromising? United States should not be afraid
of speaking out when things are wronga core value of the United States.
Those who question whether Obama is serious about his Asia policy need to look beyond traditional
political and security issues. As former secretary of state Hillary Clinton has written, engagement must go
far beyond government-to-government interactions. Though not as controversial or provocative as the
issues favored by the media, sustained, strategic investments in Southeast Asias business, society, and
people are much more likely to yield long-term goodwill toward the United States. To increase American
influence in Asia, a winning strategy must begin with the people.
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