The crisis in Ukraine is geopolitically important for the US; however, it will not derail the US “pivot” to Asia-Pacific. The US will continue to “pivot” towards Asia-Pacific through increased troop deployments, an increased role in conflict mediation, as well as through the promotion of stronger regional alliances in an attempt to contain a growing China.

Two news reports in late January suggested that India was becoming a more active participant in regional security issues. Ted Galen Carpenter discusses how a more assertive India could put the U.S. in a difficult situation.

In response to a recent memorandum created by the Brookings Institution in support of the Obama administration’s rebalance to Asia, Stephen Harner points out why the United States must abandon this foreign policy strategy and allow countries in the Asia-Pacific to establish order in the region without interference.

The US rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific has unsettled relations with China, and distrust between the two countries has deepened since the United States started relocating its massive military assets to the region.

United States allies in the Asia-Pacific nervously await Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to China, Japan and South Korea in early December, as they look for indications the Obama administration will continue its pivot to Asia. However, as Benjamin Friedman of the Cato Institute points out, the pivot is more symbolic than substantive.

The China-US relationship is the most critical in today’s world. With the continued focus on the US pivot to Asia, many question the stability of the relationship as well as the goals of the two parties. While the US and China have differences, they should not view each other as threats, but rather seek to promote and develop their relationship.

Disputes over territorial sovereignty are among the thorniest of all diplomatic disagreements. While the sovereignty disputes in the South and East China Seas involve seemingly non-negotiable claims, the resources surrounding the islands can nevertheless be shared, nurturing habits of closer regional cooperation in the process.

While the U.S. pivot to Asia’s impact on Sino-U.S. relations receives widespread attention, a significant risk to bilateral relations can be seen through China’s interventions in Latin America. As Fernando Menéndez explains, China is creating a counterbalance to U.S. actions in the Asia-Pacific by heavily investing in countries like Brazil and Venezuela.

After meeting with international affairs experts from Asia, Richard Weitz provides an in-depth look at how regional experts in the Asia-Pacific are reacting to the US pivot to Asia.

Containment is not the appropriate word to describe US policy towards China, writes Su Xiaohui. The US will probably define China as a major competitor in the world, not necessarily a major enemy.