Analysis On The Evolvement Of Relation Between USA And ASEAN After The Cold War

Since the ASEAN’s inception in 1967, its relations with the United States has experienced a long and complex process of evolution. During the Cold War, ASEAN was in a passive subordination, seen as an important link in the strategic chain by the United States, Southeast Asia has become the important region of the United States and the Sovite Union’s global hegemony. After the Cold War, the world had appeared a political multi-polarization, the trend of internationalization of economic blocs and the security mechanisms in the new international situation, all countries are in the re-positioning their interests to adjust their foreign strategy. As the world’s only superpower, the United States is no exception. With the rise of the Asia-Pacific, the eyes of the United States gradually shifting east, especially with the development of China, the United States further recognized the ASEAN’s strategic position. Since the Obama administration in 2009, the U.S strategic focus gradually eastward, the relations between the United States and the ASEAN appeared more profound changes,and had a profound impact on the Asia-Pacific’s situation. This article mainly exerts the theory of national interest to comment and analysis on the policy of presidents of the United States to ASEAN after the cold war, and emphasis on analysis of the influence to China caused by the American strategic focus to east and the coping strategies of China.This paper is divided into four parts:The first part is an introduction to the basis of strategic theory for the policy of United States to ASEAN after the Cold War, as the theory of national interest. It takes an analysis on national interest point of view of the three mainstreams in the field of international relations theory and introduced the concept of the national interest and the division of that at the same time. Then it discusses the relationship between national interest and foreign policy, which is designed for the analysis of the evolution of American policy towards ASEAN after the Cold War for a comprehensive theoretical preparation.The second part is a comprehensive summary and analysis on the United States for the ASEAN policy after the Cold War, which begins from the "Pacific Community" of Bush to "New Pacific Community of Clinton, from the new Asia-Pacific strategy of Jr. Bush to " Return to Southeast Asia" of Obama. The United States has being involved in the Asia-Pacific affairs with an all-dimensions and strong way to seek the dominance of the region.The third part is the focus of the article, which discusses the reasons for the adjustment of ASEAN policy of U.S. in the post-Cold War era. It involves in two aspects. One is the national interests of the United States, including economic interests, the relationship between the United States and its allies and preventing the emergence of hostile hegemony, security and other fields. The other one is the competition for dominance of Southeast Asia among China, Japan, India, Russia and other regional powers.The fourth part is about the influence of the evolutionary policy of United States towards ASEAN on China after the Cold War and the countermeasures of China. This section is the difficulty of the article, which includes the beneficial effects and adverse effects towards China, coping strategies and diplomatic principles of China, Sino-US security relations, and the relations among China and its neighbors, etc. This is also a thought on how to better deal with the triangle relationship among China, the United States and ASEAN.