President Obama's foreign trip is starting on a note more in tune with domestic concerns:
President Barack Obama announced a host of new trade deals with India supporting tens of thousands of U.S. jobs Saturday as he began a 10-day trip through Asia on a determinedly domestic note.
I suppose it doesn't need to be overtly focused on international relations. The undertones of mutual Indian and American interests in making sure China's increasing power doesn't threaten the region are clear to us, China, and the rest of the region. More economic ties make the foreign relations concerns more deeply embedded.
In Australia, in contrast, Secretary Clinton could afford to be a tad more direct as they discussed improved military ties:
Neither Clinton nor Rudd offered details of the expanded defense relationship to be discussed on Monday. However, Rudd said Australia would "welcome the United States making greater use of our ports and our training facilities, our test-firing ranges. That has been the case in decades past and will be the case for decades in the future."
At the same time, both stressed the importance of a responsible China to regional and global stability.
"We want to see China's rise be successful, bring benefits to the Chinese people but to take on greater responsibility and a rules-based approach towards all of its neighbors," Clinton told reporters.
Rudd, a former prime minister and diplomat who is fluent in Mandarin and served in China, agreed. He said the diplomatic work the United States and Australia are doing in the Asia-Pacific, along with their projection of power, is critical to maintaining a strategic balance in the region.
Whatever worries that I have about how foreign leaders view our president's reliability, it is clear that at the very least we are the only game in town for nations that wish to keep China at a distance as China throws their weight around. And it is clear that a lot of nations near China are in that category.
Take care that we don't lose that advantage.
