Occasionally, a simple remark reveals far more about the state of American leadership than any speech, policy statement or white paper. During an official visit to Beijing in late May by Lee Myung-bak, the new South Korean president and stalwart American friend, China's foreign ministry declared the U.S.-South Korea alliance a "historical relic."
Americans need to wake up to the challenge of leadership and start fighting for it in Asia. That the Chinese are testing one of our closest relationships shows that if we cannot step up, Asia may well make plans for its future without us.
The U.S. government, from the president on down, strains to plead our long-term interests and staying power in Asia. Why is Asia not buying it?
It's partly because of great changes occurring there, including the rise of China and the maturation of our once-dependent allies. It's also because of incoherence in our strategic vision. And frankly, it's about style. When we alternate between "taking charge" and acting detached, we leave our friends questioning our commitment level.
Thanks mostly to generations of soldiers, sailors and airmen, our alliances in Asia give us a head start on the competition. Allies Japan and South Korea are now powerful democracies. The Philippines and Thailand also have become capable members of the alliance family. Australia -- having fought beside us in every conflict of the 20th century -- has proved a most reliable friend.
We also have friends beyond our treaty allies. Taiwan is a natural security partner. Every day it demonstrates the relevance of democracy to the lives of Chinese people. Indonesia, an enormous and diverse nation, is making an inspiring effort to address its problems with the consent of the governed. Malaysia's democracy is newly robust. Singapore comes as close as we can get to a security alliance without a treaty. And we can occasionally depend on others out of shared interests, if not the bedrock of shared republican values.
In short, the American vision of a free, prosperous and secure Asia is widely shared. Where the burden of leadership gets tricky is how we address the principal challenge: China's emergence as a major global power. All the players in Asia, including the U.S., have real interests at stake in their relations with China. But China, as currently governed, is on a trajectory to threaten the freedom, security and, one day, the prosperity of Asia.
We ought not fear saying this out loud.
