Publication

This paper puts forth several reasons why US President Obama’s visit to Malaysia in April 2014 was significant. In particular, the author argues that the visit demonstrated how the ties between the two countries have matured. She also contends that the upgrading of bilateral ties to a partnership implies the relationship is approaching a more equal footing and that as Malaysia was the only non-ally stop in Obama’s Asia trip, the President sees Malaysia as strategic pivot point in the US rebalance towards Asia.