In late 2011, the Obama administration announced a new strategic foreign policy ‘pivot’ to Asia. Since its announcement, the pivot has been the source of much controversy, with many in China viewing the move as a more hostile approach intended to contain or restrain China’s rise and many U.S. regional allies seeing it a stronger U.S. presence intended to balance Chinese assertiveness.

 In this podcast, hosted by Carnegie–Tsinghua’s Paul Haenle, Patrick Cronin of the Center for New American Security argued that the U.S. pivot is predicated on good relations with China. Far from restraining China’s rise, Cronin explained that the pivot encompasses a growing dialogue between Washington and Beijing aimed at integrating China in the current global order.

Patrick Cronin

Patrick Cronin is a senior advisor and senior director of the Asia-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). Previously, he was the senior director of the Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) at the National Defense University, where he simultaneously oversaw the Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs.

Paul Haenle

Paul Haenle is the director of the Carnegie–Tsinghua Center. Prior to joining Carnegie, he served from June 2007 to June 2009 as the director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolian Affairs on the National Security Council staffs of former president George W. Bush and President Barack Obama.