Street. Wait a minute, you ve gotta be responsive, don

Street. Wait a minute, you ve gotta be responsive, don t get so big. You gotta be vag com effective, don t waste our money, and don t let the big guys get away with it. That was his mentality.
Speaking of big, let s talk about China for a second.
Yes.
I know you ve been talking a lot lately about Asia, just in the way that you ve put American diplomacy towards smart power and our soft power, it seems like China is using good old-fashioned hard power in ways that we once did but can no longer do. Do you see that and that this is something that we could talk about all the time. Obviously, they are competitive with us, but what is the what do you see the future of Chinese power in terms of their statecraft and [becoming the] hegemon like we once were?
Well, I think that it s important that we ve made this pivot toward Asia. And again, I would emphasize not that we are ignoring the continuing risks and dangers from South Asia, from the Middle East, North Africa, et cetera, but that we now have to get back into the opportunity business. We have to be looking for ways that America can expand our economic presence, exercise our influence, and work with China. Part of my goal has been to imbed the United States into the preexisting regional architecture in Asia.
Right.
And many Americans really dismiss it. When I went to Indonesia in February of 09 and said we were going to sign something called the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation and join ASEAN, a big yawn. Huge excitement in Asia, because for those who value their institutions, it was showing respect. And for those who want to be sure the United States is a resident Pacific power for now into the far future in order to help balance China, it was a huge relief. And then [the] East Asia Summit. We wanted to do an ASEAN-U.S. renault can clip summit. All showing up is a lot of what we had to do in Asia, and both the President and I have made that a real priority.
When you look at China, what they have been doing for the last decade or so, is very effectively using their soft power.
Right.