Barack Obama's "rebalancing" or "pivot" strategy, intended to demonstrate continued US commitment to the Asia-Pacific region in a variety of military, economic, and diplomatic contexts, was launched with much fanfare in 2011. Implicit in the new strategy is both a focus on China - engagement with, and containment of - and a heavy reliance by the United States on its existing friends and allies in the region in order to implement its strategy. This book explores the impact of the new strategy on America's regional friends and allies. It shows how these governments are working with Washington to advance and protect their distinct national interests, while at the same time avoiding any direct confrontation with China. It also addresses the reasons why many of these regional actors harbour concerns about the ability of the US to sustain the pivot strategy in the long run. Overall, the book illustrates the deep complexities of the United States' exercise of power and influence in the region.

"It should be applauded for its synthesis of history and political science and the interweaving and application of international relations theory to the military and geopolitical dimensions in the wider Asia-Pacific region. Students and scholars in the fields of International History and Relations and Security Studies will receive a comprehensive picture and in-depth analysis to navigate the complexity of the many actors, interests and structural challenges in the Pacific of the 21st century." Dr. Moritz Pöllath, History Department, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany