What US refocuses on Asia-Pacific?

"Returning to Asia-Pacific" is a significant adjustment of U.S. diplomatic strategy made in recent years and has triggered a complex reaction among Southeast Asian countries.

Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): With the increasingly important role of East Asia in the global political and economic pattern, the United States naturally will strengthen its relations with ASEAN.

Simon Tay, Chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs and associate professor at the Law School of the National University of Singapore: An important reason for the United States' returning to the Asia-Pacific is that the ASEAN, which has a non-negligible economic scale and a solid foundation for development, is becoming one of the world's most dynamic economic regions.

Larry Strange, Executive Director with Cambodia Development Resource Institute: China is strengthening its influence of geopolitics in the region, which is an important reason for the United States to adjust its strategic focus. The United States must be unrealistic if it hopes to use the strategy of returning to Asia-Pacific to curb China, but the intervention of the United States will make the regional economic and security relations complicated.

Khun Razi, director with ASEAN Studies Center under Thammasat University, Thailand: The recent visits of U.S. President Barack Obama to Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia aimed to show the outside world that "the United States is there," meanwhile implying that it has strong influence in Asia-Pacific so countries of the region must first consider the position of the United States before taking actions.

Chen Gang, a research fellow at the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore: Obama's recent visits are focused on strengthening the United States' ties with countries of the region and not necessarily against China.