Abstract
In 2011, the United States of America (USA) adopted the ‘pivot to Asia’ (also known as ‘return to Asia’) foreign policy. In order to provide a critique of this policy change, this chapter has two aims. First, it will contextualize such policy agenda against the Anglo-American strategic culture of ‘containment’ as a strand of geopolitical realism and a foreign policy practice against communism . Second, by providing a case study on the changing relations between the Union of Myanmar (Burma) , the People’s Republic of China and the USA, it will characterize US containment and China’s counter-containment strategies through the lens of Sun Tzu’s Art of War.
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Notes
- 1.
As Myanmar is also known as Burma, both names are used interchangeably in this book.
- 2.
Sources: (1) ‘Aung San Suu Kyi: China and U.S. Should not Use Burma as “Battlefield”.’ The China Times. 1 June 2012. (2) ‘Suu Kyi Asks U.S., China not to Squabble over Myanmar.’ Deutsche Welle. 1 June 2012. (3) ‘Burma Should not be Battleground for U.S. and China: Aung San Suu Kyi.’ The Lahore Times. 1 June 2012.
- 3.
Source: “Myanmar Backs Down, Suspending Dam Project.” The New York Times. 30 September 2011.
- 4.
Source: “Military Buildup Sparks Fears; U.S. Stirring Wrong Hornet’s Nest.” Russia Today TV, 4 June 2012.
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Wong, P. (2018). USA–China Containment and Counter-Containment in Southeast Asia: The ‘Battle’ for Myanmar (Burma). In: Destined Statecraft. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6563-7_3
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