In this 1989 report, the authors look at the future of East Asian power and influence. They state that in the future, the U.S. will have an increasingly diminished role in regional affairs, and regional players, such as China, Japan, and the USSR will gain more influence. Nonetheless, the authors argue that certain established goals should still be maintained, such as the prevention of Sino-Soviet spread of communism, prevention of Japanese aggression, avoidance of arms race, and avoidance of regional rivalry. The report highlights which organizations are worth committing too for the sake of peace, and how the US should adjust its outlook and participation in the region in scope of upcoming drastic changes. The prescriptions offered here seem to describe contemporary US foreign policy at least to some degree. Involvement lately has diminished since the date of this report, but American military presence is still strong, and many old fears are still in place.
With major power shifts probable in East Asia, this report tried to capture where the US stood in light of these developments. It served as a guide as to policies of the past and present, and what to pursue in the future to best protect national interests.
“Historically, the U.S. has sought to maintain an Asian balance of power in which it is the predominant member with no other nation powerful enough to exercise regional hegemony. To maintain its position as the principal stabilizing power in Asia, the U.S. should strengthen its ties with China and ASEAN…” [p. 79]
This report was released to the Nautilus Institute under the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).