BY CONGRESSMAN ED CASE, D-HI (2002-2007) – The U. S. Senate and each of its members bear unique responsibilities under our system for our country’s foreign policy. And the foreign policy of our country over the next generation will turn ever-increasingly to Asia and the Pacific.
We in Hawai’i have a major stake in our Asia-Pacific policy, and not just as fellow citizens of our country. Simply put, we stand to benefit tremendously from wise stewardship of our relationships with our neighbors and to face special challenges if we don’t get it right.
So our Asia-Pacific policy should and must be a central issue in the upcoming Senate campaign, debated by the candidates and judged by the voters. I’ve started that discussion with this interview, Ed Case on Foreign Policy Issues in the Senate Campaign, from just before Kim Jong-il’s death on the TV show Asia in Review, hosted by Bill Sharp.
These are just some of the issues I address:
— The success of APEC
— What it’ll take to realize Hawai’i’s full potential as a Pacific center
— The big picture of US-Asia policy
— The rise of China: opportunities and challenges
— Japan today and the future of our relationship
— Similarly for other partners today and tomorrow including Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam and Korea
— Opening trade including the Korean Free Trade Agreement and proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership
— More on China: choices and consequences
— Economic opportunities for Hawai’i in the Asia-Pacific
— The right role for our country in Asia and the Pacific
— Did I say China?
— The responsibility of each U. S. Senator for our foreign policy
I truly look forward to an open and full discussion of our Asia-Pacific foreign policy in the campaign ahead, so that voters can judge for themselves who can best provide strong and effective leadership for our country in this crucial time and place. As always, I welcome your own thoughts.