The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Washington

US policy in Asia is expected to undergo major shifts, whoever wins the race to the White House.

Both presidential contenders senators Barack Obama and John McCain have new ideas on how to handle a resurgent China, a nuclear-armed North Korea and address the rising Islamic militant threat in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

They also have fresh strategies to beef up alliances in Asia, engage the region in energy security and maintain US influence despite the severe effects of the current financial turmoil at home.

Incumbent President George W. Bush may have been credited by some experts for pursuing policies that have boosted ties with major powers such as China, India and Japan but the Obama and McCain campaigns feel amends are in order. "The whole range of relationships are in trouble," warned Obama's top Asia advisor Robert Gelbard. "We have to recognize the real importance of Asia that has developed over the last eight years with a great deal of neglect from this administration," he said.

Obama is expected to push for China's entry into the Group of Eight (G8) major powers and link Beijing to a trilateral nuclear energy cooperation network with the United States and Japan, his strategists said.

"It's ridiculous to exclude one of the world's largest economies, third largest economy" from the G8, said Frank Jannuzi, an East Asia specialist in the Obama campaign.

While Bush has relied heavily on China to help end North Korea's nuclear weapons drive, Republican candidate McCain prefers an aggressive policy to achieve the goal by applying more pressure on Pyongyang through a united front with treaty allies South Korea and Japan.

"The real question will come down to which candidate is ready to make the hard call on issues like trade or on the negotiating process with North Korea and keep a focus on our allies' interests because we need them," said Michael Green, top McCain advisor on Asia policy.