The White House released a 19-page document Feb. 11, entitled “Indo-Pacific Strategy of the United States,” which asserts in its first sentence of its introduction that “The United States is an Indo-Pacific power,” and due to its presence and economic power—especially in terms of military bases and personnel—its influence will only grow. (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/U.S.-Indo-Pacific-Strategy.pdf)
It cites that under President Biden, the U.S. “is determined to strengthen our long term position in and commitment to the Indo-Pacific'’ and will focus on every corner of the region, and implies that it is expected that its European allies will also assist the U.S, since they too are increasing their economic input into the area.
The document then comes quickly to the point, “This intensifying American focus is due in part to the fact that the Indo-Pacific faces mounting challenges, particularly from the P.R.C. [People’s Republic of China]. The P.R.C. is combining its economic, diplomatic, military, and technological might as it pursues a sphere of influence in the Indo-Pacific and seeks to become the world’s most influential power. The P.R.C.’s coercion and aggression spans the globe, but it is most acute in the Indo-Pacific. From the economic coercion of Australia to the conflict along the Line of Actual Control with India to the growing pressure on Taiwan and bullying of neighbors in the East and South China Seas, our allies and partners in the region bear much of the cost of the P.R.C.’s harmful behavior. In the process, the P.R.C. is also undermining human rights and international law, including freedom of navigation, as well as other principles that have brought stability and prosperity to the Indo-Pacific.”
It continues in this vein, “Our collective efforts over the next decade will determine whether the P.R.C. succeeds in transforming the rules and norms that have benefited the Indo-Pacific and the world. For our part, the United States is investing in the foundations of our strength at home, aligning our approach with those of our allies and partners abroad, and competing with the P.R.C. to defend the interests and vision for the future that we share with others. We will strengthen the international system, keep it grounded in shared values, and update it to meet 21st-century challenges. Our objective is not to change the P.R.C. but to shape the strategic environment in which it operates, building a balance of influence in the world that is maximally favorable to the United States, our allies and partners, and the interests and values we share … we recognize the strategic value of an increasing regional role for the European Union.”
It goes on to cite other alleged challenges in the region, such as climate change, the COVID pandemic, and the nuclear weapon programs of North Korea.
The document outlines the strategy of the U.S. for the next one to two years:
• “Our strategy, therefore, begins with building resilience within countries, as we have done in the United States. In the region, that includes our efforts to support open societies and to ensure Indo-Pacific governments can make independent political choices free from coercion; we will do so through investments in democratic institutions, a free press, and a vibrant civil society. The United States will bolster freedom of information and expression and combat foreign interference by supporting investigative journalism, promoting media literacy and pluralistic and independent media, and increasing collaboration to address threats from information manipulation.”
