The United States and Southeast Asia have had a complex and often tumultuous relationship over the years, marked by divergent interests and diverging visions for the region’s future. Despite ongoing economic and strategic engagement, the partnership remains complicated by a range of factors, including shifting geopolitical dynamics, human rights concerns, and competing claims in the South China Sea. In this article, we engage in a conversation with experts and insiders to explore the history, current state, and future prospects of this imperfect partnership, and offer insights on what needs to be done to improve and strengthen the ties between the United States and Southeast Asia.
The Southeast Asian region, consisting of 11 countries with a collective GDP of over $3 trillion and a population of 690 million people, is a critical area of growing strategic and economic importance. However, this region has largely been overlooked and under-studied in the United States. Ambassador Scot Marciel, who spent the majority of his 35-year diplomatic career working in and on the region, has written an essential book entitled “Imperfect Partners: The United States and Southeast Asia”. It combines extensive research and first-hand experience to explore the ups and downs in U.S. relations with key partners in the region over the past 30-40 years. The book offers practical and timely recommendations on how to strengthen U.S.-Southeast Asian ties in this new era of U.S.-China competition.
Ambassador Marciel will be discussing his book in a conversation with Program Director Professor Don Emmerson, hosted by the Southeast Asia Program at APARC. He will highlight how and why U.S.-Southeast Asian relations have brought both benefits and disappointments on both sides of the Pacific. Ambassador Marciel argues that the U.S. can best advance its strategic interests by engaging the region on its substantial merits rather than viewing it through a lens focused solely on China.
As the Oksenberg-Rohlen Fellow at Stanford University’s Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, Ambassador Marciel retired from the U.S. State Department in April 2022 after his 37-year-long career. Throughout his career, he held various essential assignments, including the first U.S. Ambassador to ASEAN, Ambassador to Indonesia and to Myanmar, and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific. He also witnessed the Philippine People Power revolt as a junior foreign service officer in Manila and was the first U.S. diplomat to serve in Hanoi following the Vietnam War.
Ambassador Marciel’s book, “Imperfect Partners: The United States and Southeast Asia,” is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of the U.S.-Southeast Asian relationship over the past few decades. The book talks about the U.S. attempts to build better relationships with Southeast Asian countries, the obstacles encountered in those attempts, and the importance of continuing to sustain those relationships.
The Southeast Asian region has been a vital partner for the United States in several ways. It is a hub of global supply chains for goods that Americans use every day, including electronics, clothing, and toys. The region provides a route for U.S. businesses to access markets in other parts of Asia, including China and India. Southeast Asia has also been an essential economic partner for the U.S., accounting for more than $330 billion in two-way trade and over $225 billion in American foreign direct investment.
Moreover, Southeast Asia straddles the Indo-Pacific region, which has become a critical focus for the U.S. government’s foreign policy in recent years. The U.S. is looking to pursue a free and open Indo-Pacific region, while simultaneously challenging China’s behavior in the region.
However, despite the economic and strategic significance of the region, it remains largely overlooked in U.S. foreign policy discussions. Therefore, Ambassador Marciel’s book is highly relevant as it provides crucial insights into U.S.-Southeast Asian relations and offers practical suggestions on how the U.S. can mitigate challenges and strengthen its partnership with the region.
In conclusion, Ambassador Marciel’s book, “Imperfect Partners: The United States and Southeast Asia,” offers an essential perspective on the critical yet neglected relationship between the U.S. and Southeast Asian countries. As the U.S. seeks to advance its interests in the Indo-Pacific region, it is necessary to deepen its partnerships with countries in the Southeast Asian region to build a robust and sustainable relationship beneficial for both sides.
