Gary Locke, who was the first Chinese-American governor of Washington State as well as the first Chinese-American ambassador to China, served as the U.S. Ambassador in Beijing from 2011-1014. He’s well-known for establishing an honest reading of pollution levels outside the American Embassy in Beijing.
The two gentlemen came to the 1990 Institute’s 25th Gala in late January to discuss their views on America/China relations.
Moderator John Chen, CEO of Blackberry, asked about America’s recent re-pivoting to Asia: “What is the intention of our pivoting?”
Gary Locke: “I think we have spent so much time in the last several decades in the Middle East—the war in Iraq, Afghanistan—we have neglected the strong countries and allies in Asia--in all of Asia. What the pivoting and rebalancing means is that we need to spend more time and attention on Asia. The Asian-Pacific countries make up more than half the world’s GDP.
“A lot of people in China felt that we were trying to contain and restrain the role of China. But actually the re-pivot—spending more time with Asia—also included more interaction with China, which included not only humanitarian, but military exercises. We also had a lot more delegations of high-ranking military officials, national security officials, CIA directors, defense department secretaries all going to China, and more contact and exchange with Chinese coming to America as well. So the Pivot means just spending more time and attention and focus on Asia.”
Jon Huntsmen: “Well, I would argue that we never pivoted away from Asia. If you trace history back to 1898, we’ve had a strong presence in Asia. It’s just had a different focus. But the message of the incoming president was that we need to focus elsewhere. So, again, I think it was Obama’s sincere desire to take the focus away from where it had been under George W Bush, and really focus on a geographic region and economic area that was different—a rising power , growth-trade-investment, all that. What’s been the biggest outcome is the Trans-pacific Partnership, which has been the backbone of our engagement with the region. Twelve nations representing 40% of the world’s GDP, which I think is probably the most significant thing we’ve done in Asia for a really long, long time. Yet to be completed."
Gary Locke: Let me go back to what Mr. Huntsman said. America has been in the Pacific for over a hundred years. We’ve had our military there. We, of course, engaged during WWII. But our diplomatic and military presence has actually provided stability and peace throughout the region for the last fifty odd years, which has really enabled the region to grow as well.
(...to be continued. Next: Is China Feeling Contained?)
The two gentlemen came to the 1990 Institute’s 25th Gala in late January to discuss their views on America/China relations.
Gary Locke: “I think we have spent so much time in the last several decades in the Middle East—the war in Iraq, Afghanistan—we have neglected the strong countries and allies in Asia--in all of Asia. What the pivoting and rebalancing means is that we need to spend more time and attention on Asia. The Asian-Pacific countries make up more than half the world’s GDP.
“A lot of people in China felt that we were trying to contain and restrain the role of China. But actually the re-pivot—spending more time with Asia—also included more interaction with China, which included not only humanitarian, but military exercises. We also had a lot more delegations of high-ranking military officials, national security officials, CIA directors, defense department secretaries all going to China, and more contact and exchange with Chinese coming to America as well. So the Pivot means just spending more time and attention and focus on Asia.”
Jon Huntsmen: “Well, I would argue that we never pivoted away from Asia. If you trace history back to 1898, we’ve had a strong presence in Asia. It’s just had a different focus. But the message of the incoming president was that we need to focus elsewhere. So, again, I think it was Obama’s sincere desire to take the focus away from where it had been under George W Bush, and really focus on a geographic region and economic area that was different—a rising power , growth-trade-investment, all that. What’s been the biggest outcome is the Trans-pacific Partnership, which has been the backbone of our engagement with the region. Twelve nations representing 40% of the world’s GDP, which I think is probably the most significant thing we’ve done in Asia for a really long, long time. Yet to be completed."
Gary Locke: Let me go back to what Mr. Huntsman said. America has been in the Pacific for over a hundred years. We’ve had our military there. We, of course, engaged during WWII. But our diplomatic and military presence has actually provided stability and peace throughout the region for the last fifty odd years, which has really enabled the region to grow as well.
(...to be continued. Next: Is China Feeling Contained?)
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