US public diplomacy in the Asia Pacific: Opportunities and challenges in a time of transition

Abstract

This paper assesses policy-setting for US public diplomacy in a regional context that has received little scrutiny in recent debates on US public diplomacy: the Asia Pacific. The garnering of soft power and diplomatic consensus through public diplomacy should be regarded as an important platform for US foreign policy in the region, given Washington's extensive strategic and economic interests in the Asia Pacific, and because the region is currently undergoing considerable structural changes that suggest that hard power alone will not be sufficient to secure Washington's desired outcomes. This paper has four sections. First, I survey contemporary debates on US public diplomacy and the global setting in which US public diplomacy operates. I then outline the three key components of US public diplomacy, emphasising how key initiatives pertain to the Asia Pacific context. The third section examines the bureaucratic structures through which US public diplomacy initiatives are designed and implemented. Finally, I provide an outlook on the future of US public diplomacy in the Asia Pacific in the context of regional geopolitical transitions, emphasising the potential contribution of public diplomacy to US interests in the years ahead.