HONOLULU -- As we mark the Bush administration's first anniversary, U.S.-East Asia relations, after an early rough start, appear on an upswing. The one exception is on the Korean Peninsula, where Pyongyang's refusal to take "yes" for an answer has resulted in a decline in U.S.-North Korean relations while adding stress to otherwise improved U.S.-South Korean relations as well.
Feelings of sympathy and support generated in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks against the United States have no doubt helped this generally upward trend. As one U.S. security specialist wisely noted, East Asian nations cannot afford to have the U.S.-led war on terrorism fail; the consequences for all would be too great. Nor can they afford to have the U.S. campaign succeed without their perceived support, lest they run the risk of being deemed irrelevant in the emerging new world order. National self-interest has thus drawn many states closer to the U.S., just as Washington's need for support in its global effort to combat terrorism has made it more mindful of maintaining friendships regionwide.
Good diplomacy has also helped. President George W. Bush's October visit to Shanghai for the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders' Meeting provided an opportunity for Asian leaders, like Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, to meet face to face with the new U.S. leader for the first time. It also provided Bush an opportunity to build upon (or, in South Korea's case, to repair the damage caused by) earlier meetings. Most came away impressed, and a bit more comfortable about Washington's attitude and commitment toward Asia.