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Undoubtedly, Asia holds a central position in a shifting global geopolitical climate. 2 However, the region remains plagued by historical grievances, territorial disputes and nuclear proliferation, and is confronted with non-traditional security challenges such as climate change, energy security and natural disasters. Yet over the years, the region has witnessed the rise of China and India, achieved substantial economic progress, and sought to forge a more coherent sense of regional identity. It has developed to become arguably the most dynamic region in the world, with the Asian security order currently undergoing processes of renegotiation to better reflect changing regional and global realities. Naturally, one of the key questions emerging out of this shifting regional landscape concerns the role of the United States. In particular, what is the extent and nature of America’s role in the renegotiation and orchestration of the Asian security order? This is the central research question this article seeks to address. Specifically, it situates America’s role in Asia vis-à-vis two important regional developments: the rise of China, and Asia’s responses to the policies of the George W. Bush administration. This article advances two major arguments. First, the US has played, and will continue to play, a vital role in the evolution of the regional security order. The extent of America’s role in the region thus remains wide-ranging and highly fundamental. Second, the US