U.S. Economic Strategy in the Asia Pacific
Update and Recommendations
October 11, 2017
CSIS
In January 2017, the bipartisan CSIS Asia Economic Strategy Commission released a report recommending that the incoming Trump administration adopt a comprehensive economic strategy toward the dynamic Asia-Pacific region. That report, Reinvigorating U.S. Economic Strategy Toward the Asia Pacific, made the case for why America’s future is in the Asia Pacific, outlined the major trends shaping the region, and recommended a comprehensive strategy for securing America’s Pacific century.
This paper, prepared by CSIS scholars with input from a range of experts, builds on the Commission’s work but is not attributable to it. Though we stand by the recommendations made by the Commission in the original report, we hope that this paper can provide the basis for implementing a new strategy toward the region over the next year. It was prepared in advance of President Donald Trump’s upcoming trip to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ meeting and the East Asia Summit (EAS), his first trip to Asia since taking office. It provides an update on developments in the region since the inauguration and offers recommendations for advancing U.S. interests at the regional level, as well as for managing specific bilateral relationships.
