Former US deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage has delivered a scathing attack on the administration of US President George W. Bush ahead of this week's APEC leaders summit, accusing it of ignoring Asia and China's growing regional influence.
In an interview with the foreign editor of the Australian posted on the newspaper's Web site, Armitage said there was a minor danger of China's leadership in Asia surpassing that of the US.
He also accused China of not being transparent in its military actions and of changing the rationale for its arms build-up, but said he did not think it was destabilizing the region for the time being.
"At first the Chinese explained [the weapons build-up] as needed to deal with the Taiwan scenario. But they've passed that point and now they talk about the need to protect their oil sources, they won't sub-contract out protection of the high seas to the [US] Seventh Fleet," the paper quoted Armitage as saying.
"In every measure, China is making real hay right throughout Asia," he was quoted as saying. "It's not that we're ignoring Asia a little bit; we're ignoring it totally. We're playing foreign policy at the moment like five-year-olds play soccer, everyone is going after the ball at once rather than covering the whole field."
Armitage told the Australian that he was "entirely disappointed but not surprised" by the administration's performance, blaming its overall style in foreign policy.
"You reap what you sow. You can't be so dismissive of others' views without it having consequences. I believe the United States can exercise leadership while fully taking account of the views of its friends and allies," he said.
He said the Bush administration had radically underestimated the importance of Asia.
"In almost every measure -- military budgets, population growths, the need for raw materials -- our interests will force us back to Asia," he was quoted as saying.
Armitage, who served for four years in one of the administration's most senior positions, had the greatest experience with Asia within the Bush administration and his departure has left it short of expertise.
Armitage also lambasted US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for her "disastrous decision to miss two out of three ASEAN regional forums." Rice missed the Laos ASEAN meeting in 2005 and Manila earlier this year.
She, along with Bush, will miss the second day of the APEC leaders' summit in Sydney on Sunday.
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