The election of Donald Trump as the next President of the United States surprised observers on both sides of the Pacific and raised more questions than answers in terms of what it means for U.S. policy in Asia. Primarily, what policy course will a Trump administration chart in the region? On December 13, 2016 the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) addressed this critical topic by launching a new briefing book, Advice for the 45th U.S. President: Opinions from Across the Pacific.

Drawing on our global network of high-level advisors, ASPI has compiled a series of short policy memos for the next administration, providing regional perspectives on what U.S. policy could look like if its partners were writing the script. Our aim is to provide the next President with practical advice on what motivates Asian countries, how they view America's role in the Pacific, and what their priorities and concerns will be for the next several years.

The briefing book includes perspectives from regional leaders who have experienced first-hand the challenges of managing Asia's complex relationships. Authors include:

• Ravi Agrawal, India Bureau Chief at CNN and an Asia Society Asia 21 Young Leader
• Chan Heng Chee, Chairwoman of the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities and former Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to the United States
• Choi Seokyoung, Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of International Studies at Seoul National University and former Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the World Trade Organization
• Peter Jennings, Executive Director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and former Deputy Secretary for Strategy in the Australian Department of Defence
• Yoriko Kawaguchi, Professor at the Meiji Institute for Global Affairs and former Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Environment
• Ken Koyama, Chief Economist and Managing Director for Japan's Institute for Energy Economics
• Shivshankar Menon, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Institute of Chinese Studies in New Delhi and former Indian National Security Adviser
• Wang Jisi, President of the Institute of International and Strategic Studies at Peking University
• Magdalena J. Seol, Founder and Managing Director of GDA and an Asia Society Asia 21 Young Leader

Briefing Book

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Contents

About the Authors

Foreword

Introduction | Lindsey W. Ford

1. Adjusting to the Rise of New Powers: An Opinion from India | Shivshankar Menon
2. U.S. Leadership in Northeast Asia: An Opinion from Japan | Yoriko Kawaguchi
3. An Inquiry into U.S.-China Relations: An Opinion from China | Wang Jisi
4. Building Asia’s Economic Architecture: An Opinion from the Republic of Korea | Choi Seokyoung
5. Southeast Asia at an Inflection Point: An Opinion from ASEAN | Chan Heng Chee
6. Strengthening America’s Troubled Asian Alliances: An Opinion from Australia | Peter Jennings 
7. Regional Energy Cooperation and the Role of the United States: An Opinion from Japan | Ken Koyama 
8. Opinions from the Rising Generation | Ravi Agrawal & Magdalena J. Seol