试析美国重返亚太的战略“软”维度:湄公河区域气候合作的意义与挑战

The Soft Side of US's Strategic Return to Asia Pacific: Implications and Challenges of Cooperation on Climate Change in the Mekong Region

美国重返亚太的战略体现为从军事、政治、经济到环境气候等诸多方面,其中在环境气候方面的行动似乎较少得到重视。为什么美国选择在气候变化问题上采取了积极的合作?这样做究竟意味着什么?本文认为,环境和气候问题是湄公河地区面临的重要安全和战略问题,与本地区面临的水资源分配、减贫、粮食安全以及经济社会的可持续发展等问题密切相关。与此相关的政治信任问题也是涉及制约中国与本地区经贸关系升华的瓶颈。美国选择在这一议题上重返亚太,正好切中了中国在本地区影响力的软肋,迎合了本地区在水资源和生态环境方面的安全需要,同时也提升了自身的软实力。而且美国也利用国际社会应对气候变化的规范话语,以履行自身作为发达国家的气候资金援助承诺的行动。美国的做法表面上对中国不构成威胁和挑战,实际上相比军事和经济战略方面,却更加明显地存在针对中国以及平衡中国影响力的意图,对构建中美新型大国关系构成了挑战。

The U.S. return to Asia Pacific strategy ranged from military, political, and economic aspects to environment and climate, but the action related to environment and climate, seems to get less attention. Why did the United States choose the issue of climate change to enhance cooperation with the ASEAN countries？ What does it mean for US and for this region？ This paper argues that environment and climate issues are impor-tant security and strategy issues faced by the Mekong region, especially related to water resource allocation, poverty reduction, food security, and the sustainable economic and social development. The political trust prob-lem is a bottleneck restricting the development of China＇s economic and trade relations with this region. By se-lecting this issue as the vehicle for return to Asia, the United States meets the security needs of the region in terms of water resources and ecological security, enhances its soft power and at the same time balances the Chi- nese influence in this region. And the United States also makes use of the norms and discourse of international community＇s response to climate change, to fulfill its commitment as a developed country of providing financial assistance for developing countries. This paper points out that, the U.S. approach seems to serve as a non-threatening way of competing with China for regional influence but actually may pose more cute challenge for China, as well as for building a new type of major country relations.