ABSTRACT
China's relationship with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is driven by a strategic logic. The rise of China has served as a catalyst in Japan-Australia relations. Initiated by the US, the first US-ASEAN summit was held in July 2009, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Singapore. The decision to join the East Asia Summit (EAS) capped years of American ambivalence towards 'ASEAN plus' forums and the group's role in constructing a new regional community. Participating in Asian summitry demonstrates Washington's commitment to multilateralism, a symbolic yet significant metric in a region where process is equally, if not more, important as outcomes. In diplomacy and security, Tokyo is aligning more closely with Washington's, or specifically President Obama's, vision of an Asia-Pacific regional order, which includes an invigorated power, purpose and commitment to preserving US interests in East Asia and the Western Pacific.
