U.S President Barack Obama was announcing the revamp of the national defense strategy at the beginning of 2012, shifting the focus to Asia-Pacific region, despite a multi-billion dollar defense budget cut.

 

　　US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta later detailed the plan further, saying the US is going to deploy about 60 percent of its naval fleet, including six aircraft carriers, to the Asia-Pacific by 2020.

 

　　Following a series of defense talks with countries including Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines, in December the Pentagon announced plans to deploy some of its newest warships and other high-tech weapons to the region.

 

　　Professor Meng Xiangqing from China's PLA University of National Defense says the US "Pivot to Asia" comes at a time when the region's broader economy is booming.

 

　　"The U.S has somewhat neglected the Asia-Pacific region over the past ten years in Bush administration's anti-terrorism strategy. Over the years, the region's economy became the new powerhouse of world economy. Along with the rise of countries including China and India, the economic significance of the U.S has declined in the region. As a result, the US influence in the region is waning. "

 

　　Since first launching a "Back in Asia" initiative in 2009, the Obama administration has been busy renewing and strengthening its diplomatic ties with its traditional allies in the region, while at the same time, forging ties with other ASEAN countries.

 

　　Secretary of State Hilary Clinton took part in three Asian tours in 2012, including a highly-watched visit to Laos.

 

　　Meanwhile, Obama himself also took part in a four-day Asian tour, with stops in Thailand, Cambodia and a historic stop in Myanmar less than two weeks after being re-elected as the U.S president.

 

　　During his time in Myanmar - the first as a sitting US President - Obama signed off on a deal to soften previous sanctions on the country, and removed a ban on most imports.

 

　　Despite the ramping up of diplomatic ties, Professor Meng Xiangqing says the approach may not deliver the results the Pentagon wants.

 

　　"There are conflicts of interests here. Countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia have strong economic ties with China. Some may count on the U.S to beef up defense and security, but they do not want the U.S to set up agenda for them. On the other hand, the U.S has a different goal; it intends to regain its dominance in the region and be the one who sets rules. This is not what these countries want."

 

　　Dating back to 2011, the U.S has been calling for a Trans-Pacific Partnership that would give U.S goods tariff-free entry into a number of regional countries including Singapore, Australia and Vietnam.

 

　　However, China has been excluded from the picture.

 

　　This has led to some observers to suggest the United States' policy toward the Asia-Pacific is designed to try to contain China.

 

　　Both Hillary Clinton and Leon Panetta have denied the suggestion, saying the Pacific is "big enough for all of us".

 

　　The Pentagon also made clear that it will not take sides in the territorial disputes over the Diaoyu Islands and Huangyan Island.

 

　　Professor Yu Nanping with the School of Advanced International Studies at East China Normal University says given the complicated diplomatic environment, the authorities should never lose sight of the economic links between China and the US.

 

　　"Although we have seen some frictions in Sino-US relations over the years, overall we have seen developments. This is due to the strong economic ties China has with the U.S. The same logic can also be applied to China's relations with other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The stronger economic ties we have, the more common interests we will share with other countries. "

 

　　China and the U.S are now each other's second-largest trading partners, with bilateral trade approaching 500 billion U.S dollars.

 

　　At the same time, China-ASEAN bilateral trade has approched close to 400-billion dollars this past year, with the latest figure coming in at 360 billion dollars through the first 11 months of 2012.

 

　　Talks to set up a free trade zone among China, Japan and South Korea are also set to kick off this year.

 

　　For CRI, I'm Shen Ting.