查看文章

Like most new American presidents, Bill Clin-ton enjoyed a honeymoon with Asia. For the first few months of 1993, it appeared that he would continue the best features of his pred-ecessor's approach, particularly a commitment to Asian security, while devoting more attention to such neglected issues as human rights. But by May 1994, the new administration's Asia policy was on the edge of disaster. Relation-ships with most major Asian states were strained. American policy on regional issues was misguided or incomplete. The United States was drifting toward a military crisis with North Korea, a trade war with Japan, a confrontation with China over its most-favored-nation (MFN) status, and a clash with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) over human rights--all at the same time. Other friendly countries watched with dismay as US policy toward Asia seemed to unravel. The administration's Asia …