Seminar: US Asia Policy: Whither the Rebalancing?
About the Seminar
America’s presidential election in November will be hugely consequential for the world and especially Asia. Elements of continuity face their own challenges, including the possibility of resurgent major power competition. But eight years of heightened and comprehensive diplomatic, economic, and security engagement could also be replaced by retrenchment. Growing protectionist sentiment could scuttle the all-important Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. A United States less engaged in the diplomatic and security affairs of the Asia-Pacific could create greater uncertainty and potential instability. This presentation will consider the likely elements of continuity and discontinuity in U.S. Asia policy beginning with a new administration in 2017. It will estimate the durability of the rebalance policy and the extent of President Obama’s legacy in the region. Finally, it will offer an updated assessment on the future of TPP.
Dr Cronin has a rich and diverse background in both Asian-Pacific security and U.S. defense, foreign, and development policy. Prior to leading INSS, Dr Cronin served as the Director of Studies at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Before joining IISS, he was Senior Vice President and Director of Research at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Before that Dr Cronin served as the third-highest ranking official at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Dr Cronin’s many publications are these recent CNAS reports: Sustaining the Rebalance in Southeast Asia: Challenges and Opportunities Facing the Next Administration (May 2016); Dynamic Balance: An Alliance Requirements Roadmap for the Asia-Pacific Region (May 2016) (co-author); Strategic Resilience: A U.S.-Japan Action Plan for All-Hazard Emergency Management (co-author); Solving Long Division: The Geopolitical Implications of Korean Unification (December 2015) (co-author); and Preserving the Rules: Countering Coercion in Maritime Asia (March 2015) (co-author).
Registration
To register, please fill in this form and email to iseasevents2@iseas.edu.sg by 31 August 2016.