The United States is and will remain a Pacific power and a Pacific partner because we recognize that shared opportunities beckon to us and shared dangers imperil us. We are on the same side in the battle to build lasting prosperity, secure human dignity, and create a foundation for lasting human freedom.

-- Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
In remarks to Asia-Pacific Region Foreign Ministers,
New York, September 23, 1997

The U.S. role in promoting peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region is the subject of this journal. Senior officials from the State and Defense Departments provide an overview of U.S. policy toward the region, explore U.S. relations with Japan and Korea, and discuss China's non-proliferation record. A leading U.S. legislator outlines some congressional priorities in East Asia, and two prominent American scholars analyze the importance of Asian security to the United States and the impact of "track two" diplomacy in East Asia. Also included are a report on recent public opinion polls conducted jointly in the United States and Japan and a fact sheet describing U.S.-Asia Pacific security alliances.