They have taken certain stands. They believe Clinton was soft on China. The Bush administration's insistence on promoting a national missile defence scheme has also led to a chill in relations with Beijing, which claims the move would upset the world's strategic balance. However, Mr Lee said it was important for the US to continue to play a leading role in Asia to balance China's growing power. I don't see a balance inherent within Asia itself.
China is just too big.
You can put the rest of east Asia together - it just wouldn't tip the scales. How they take them into account is another matter. Mr Lee said the opening of the Chinese market under the strictures of the World Trade Organisation would create some opportunities for Asean'exporters. But one only had to look at the economic success of Hong Kong and Taiwan to envisage how tough a competitor China could be.