Commentary: Imbalance of U.S. rebalancing toward Asia-Pacific

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)'s neutral stance in the South China Sea should not be a disappointment to some in the United States, but a timely reminder that Washington's bid to depicting China as a villain in the Asia-Pacific is wishful thinking.

Rather than focusing on accommodating the different interests of the ASEAN countries, President Barack Obama, hosting a summit with leaders of the 10-nation regional bloc in California, has been eager to push through his own agenda and showed insufficient attention to the real needs of these countries.

It is not hard to notice that in his final State of the Union Address last month, President Obama did not bother to mention the dynamic Southeast Asia as a region, but played down China's economy and influence three times.

Insecurity would be the word for Uncle Sam's state of mind, which could lead to miscalculations of its strategic goals.

Worried about the rise of China, the world's most populous nation with a different culture and political system, and confused by its own domestic dilemmas and deadlocks, the United States seems to have lost its rhythm.

Once lauded as a sensible shift of policy priority, the so-called U.S. rebalancing toward Asia-Pacific has been increasingly out of balance.

In its embryonic period, the strategy had envisioned building a stable, productive and constructive relationship with China as one of its pillars, and placed economic cooperation with regional countries above military build-up.

However, no more than three years later, Washington recklessly sent multiple warships and bombers near Chinese reefs in the South China Sea, in blatant provocation that disregarded China's sovereignty and security.

Underneath the claim of "freedom of navigation" is Washington's true motive that seeks unchallenged operation of U.S. warships around the world.

Bullying actions as such will not only undermine strategic mutual trust between Beijing and Washington and infuriate the Chinese people, but also serve no good to U.S. national interest.

Only through real commitment of cultivating a constructive and mutually beneficial relationship with sound strategic trust between each other, can the United States and China, and the Asia-Pacific region at large, enjoy long-term peace and prosperity.

It is time for Washington to return to the right track. Endi