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he United States will remain engaged in bringing stability, security and confidence to the ASEAN region in a commitment to promote global interest in the prosperity of the region, said a former US secretary of defense.

“It’s a small world spinning faster and faster every day. No matter it’s Democrats or Republicans (controlling US congress), at the end of day, we will realize that we can’t survive without the stability and prosperity of this region. It’s in our self-interest and also the global interest,” said former senator and congressman William Cohen, the current co-chair of the US-ASEAN Strategy Commission, in a public lecture at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta on Monday.

Against the backdrop of China’s growing power in the region, the US will keep playing a stabilizing role, said Cohen. “Like how Harvard Professor Joseph Nye described
America in his book The Paradox of American Power, if one country grows too strong, other countries will align together to restrain its power.”

However, given US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s numerous visits to the region and the deployment of 2,500 marines in Darwin, Australia, America’s shifting focus to the Asia Pacific should not be considered to create tension or confrontation between the US and China in the region, said Cohen.

Regarding the ongoing South China Sea terrestrial waters dispute specifically, he said: “Our position is not there to resolve problems, but to become facilitators for discussions and make sure that it [South China Sea] is not dominated by one country.”

Cohen suggested more maritime exercises between Indonesia and America for humanitarian purposes such as strengthening rescue efforts in cases of natural disasters. “China should be involved as well for our multilateral [military] exercises. They can choose to decline, but we should still invite them to show that our exercises are legitimate in promoting regional security and
stability.”

China’s rise provides a unique challenge and opportunity for ASEAN countries, but as when China blocked rare earth trade to Japan to protest the detainment of a Chinese boat captain, it sometimes causes tension and anxiety in the Pacific region. America vows to make sure China’s growing power is integrated in the region stability, Cohen said.

To build a stronger ASEAN region, Cohen urged Indonesia to work toward a greater community with more unity of actions, especially in issues related to human rights, freedom and democracy. With challenges of fighting terrorism, piracy and human, animal and drug trafficking, America and ASEAN should share techniques and technology. He also called for a reduction in trade barriers in the region to open markets fairly and impartially to all parties and generate tremendous prosperity.