Rebalance to Asia IV, economic engagement in the Asia-Pacific region : hearing before the Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs of the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, first session, December 18, 2013.

This is one of a series of hearings focusing on the U.S. Rebalance to Asia; today the focus will be the economic engagement issues. The United States and China share the goals of increasing regional connectivity and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. It is in the United States interest for China to be a prosperous, peaceful, and strong partner with respect to its neighbors and international norms, laws, institutions, and rules. Over the long run, you cannot have economic liberalization without political liberalization. They are connected. The first hearing we held on the rebalance of Asia dealt with good governance and we are back to that issue as we tie it together through economic engagement. Discrimination against women and minorities are contrary to economic development goals. Markets cannot effectively operate unless human rights and civil liberties, including freedom of speech, association, and the press, are protected. Failing to protect workers' basic rights undermines a nation's development and violates internationally recognized human rights norms.

This book provides a multifaceted analysis of the so-called US 'rebalance' (or 'pivot') toward Asia by focusing on the diplomatic, military, and economic dimensions of the American policy shift in the Asia Pacific region.

This book examines the success of the US rebalancing (or pivot) strategy towards Asia, placing the US pivot in a historical context while highlighting its policy content and management dilemmas. Further, the contributors discuss the challenges and opportunities that each regional state confronts in responding to the US rebalancing strategy. In 2011, President Barack Obama laid out the framework for a strategic pivot of US policy towards the Asia Pacific region. Writers in this volume focus specifically on Asian perception of the strategy. Among the topics they explore are: China’s desire to be seen as equal to the US while maintaining foreign policy initiatives independent of the US strategic rebalance; the strengthening of Japan’s alliance with the US through its security policies; the use of US-China competition by South Korea to negotiate its influence in the region; and Australia’s embrace of the strategy as a result of foreign direct investment that provides economic benefits to the country.