Australian envoy lauds U.S. diplomacy in Southeast Asia

The face of American diplomacy is changing - and the results could have an enormous impact on people in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region. Speaking on campus Sept. 10, the Australian ambassador to the United States said the recent shift in American attention to the region may prove crucial to its political development. Kim Beazley focused on increased American diplomacy in Southeast Asia in the past few years. After nearly a decade of Australian encouragement for the United States to become more involved in Southeast Asia, Beazley stated, "President Obama's leadership has turned the key decisively.. over the past few years to get the United States involved in the region." The change in American diplomacy has been caused by the recent economic rise of many Southeast Asian countries. As the region becomes richer, many of these nations can afford weapons systems, and more money is spent on defense in Asia than in Europe, Beazley said.