Kitty Hawk resupplies the destroyer USS O'Brien in the South China Sea during Exercise Cobra Gold 2000. U.S. Navy photo by John Sullivan.

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The American vision for the Asia-Pacific region is based on the principles of shared strength, shared prosperity, and shared commitment to democratic values.

To insure shared strength, the United States maintains a robust military presence of 100,000 troops and has expanded its security cooperation and military access in Southeast Asia. It has also strengthened ties to its allies in the region - most especially Japan, South Korea and Australia.

In an effort to establish new mechanisms for transparency and confidence building, the United States has remained actively engaged in regional security dialogues such as the ASEAN Regional Forum and has hosted numerous multilateral meetings and defense fora.

Although the region is mostly at peace, weapons and missile proliferation remain a threat. U.S. initiatives have frozen - and will dismantle - the North Korean nuclear threat through the U.S.-North Korea Agreed Framework.

The United States maintains steadfast support for democracy and human rights in the region and promotes their expansion even in the most repressive societies. The U.S. view is that open societies are as necessary to prosperity and security as open markets and open sea lanes.

To build a better foundation for shared economic prosperity, the United States has worked through its bilateral relationships and multilaterally to accelerate the pace of trade and investment liberalization and to promote market opening.

U.S. engagement in Asia provides an opportunity to help shape the region's future, prevent conflict and provide the stability and access that allows the conduct of approximately $500,000 million a year in trans-Pacific trade.

This site focuses on the U.S. commitment to security in the Asia-Pacific region and the initiatives that underwrite that commitment.