Matthew Hanzel

During my research (for my thesis), it is important to know how many trips (and days) are spent by three U.S. secretaries of state, Colin Powell (2001-2005), Condoleezza Rice (2005-2009) and Hillary Clinton (2009-2013). As many of us know, Secretary Clinton, under President Obama, is doing this ‘pivot’ strategy, otherwise known today as ‘rebalancing,’ toward the Asia-Pacific region. The intention is to signal an increasing attention to this growing region, and the United States finds it important.

Is it true that Secretary Clinton—realizing the pivot strategy—goes to the Asia-Pacific region more than her predecessors? Here’s the data.

What you need to understand is that I focus more on the number of days spent in the region. The data for Secretary Powell is taken from here, Secretary Rice is taken from here and Secretary Clinton is from here. I count the number of days myself, and they do not include in-flight days.

Secretary of State	Year (Term)	Days of Travel
Colin Luther Powell	Term I, 2001-2005	51 days
Condoleezza Rice	Term II, 2005-2009	54 days
Hillary Rodham Clinton	Term I, 2009-2013	77 days

This shows how Secretary Clinton travels to the Asia-Pacific region significantly more than her two predecessors. While this may not be correlated directly, I believe this shows how the Obama administration is really serious to the emerging region.

The following is the list of travels to Asia-Pacific done by Secretary Clinton.

No	Country	Remarks	Dates	Days in the Country	Days in Parallel
1	Japan	Met with Foreign Minister Nakasone	16/2/2009-18/2/2009	3	6
2	Indonesia	Met with Foreign Minister Wirajuda and ASEAN Secretary General Pitsuwa [sic]	18/2/2009-19/2/2009	2
3	Korea, Republic of	Met with Foreign Minister Yu; gave an address at Ewha Women’s University	19/2/2009-20/2/2009	2
4	China, People’s Republic of	Met with Foreign Minister Yang	20/2/2009-21/2/2009	2
5	Thailand	Met with Prime Minister Abhisit and Foreign Minister Kasit. Attended the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference and Regional Forum in Phuket	21/7/2009-23/7/2009	3	3
6	Singapore	Attended APEC Forum and Ministerial meetings	10/11/2009-12/11/2009	3	9
7	Philippines	Met with President Arroyo and Foreign Secretary Romulo. Announced new disaster relief program	12/11/2009-13/11/2009	2
8	Singapore	Attended APEC Leaders’ Meeting with President Obama	13/11/2009-16/11/2009	4
9	China, People’s Republic of	Accompanied President Obama. Dedicated the USA Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo	16/11/2009-18/11/2009	3
10	Japan	Met with Foreign Minister Okada	21/5/2010	1	6
11	China, People’s Republic of	Visited the Shanghai 2010 Expo and attended a dinner for sponsors of the USA Pavilion. In Beijing, attended the second meeting of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue	21/5/2010-26/5/2010	6
12	South Korea	Met with Foreign Minister Yu	26/5/2010	1
13	South Korea	Commemoreated the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. Visited the DMZ. With Secretary of Defense Gates, atteded a 2+2 meeting with South Korea’s Foreign Minister and Minister of National Defense and with President lee Myung-bak	20/7/2010-21/7/2010	2	4
14	Vietnam	Attended the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference and Regional Forum Ministerial. Discussed the Lower Mekong Initiative	21/7/2010-23/7/2010	3
15	Vietnam	Attended the East Asia Summit and the Lower Mekong Initiative meetings	29/10/2010-30/10/2010	2	10
16	China, People’s Republic of	Met with State Councilor Dai Bingguo	30/10/2010	1
17	Cambodia	Met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Namhong	30/10/2010-1/11/2010	3
18	Malaysia	Met with Foreign Minister Aman	1/11/2010-3/11/2010	3
19	Papua New Guinea	Met with Prime Minister Somare and visited a mangrove reforestation project	03/11/2010	1
20	New Zealand	Met with Prime Minister Key and Foreign Minister McCully. Visited the U.S. Antarctic Center	3/11/2010-5/11/2010	3
21	Australia	Attended the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultation. Met with Prime Minister Gillard and Foreign Minister Rudd	5/11/2010-7/11/2010	3
22	South Korea	Met with President Lee and Foreign Minister Kim	16/4/2011-17/4/2011	2	2
23	Japan	Met with Prime Minister Kan and Foreign Minister Matsumoto	17/4/2011	1
24	Indonesia	Attended the ASEAN Regional Forum and the U.S.-Lower Mekong Ministerial meetings, the Second U.S.-Indonesia Joint Committee meeting, and the U.S.-Japan-Republic of Korea Trilateral meeting	21/7/2011-25/7/2011	5	5
25	China, People’s Republic of	Met with the Hong Kong Executive and Legislative Council, and with State Councilor Dai Bingguo in Shenzhen	25/7/2011	1
26	Philippines	Signed the Manila Declaration and a Partnership for Growth agreement. Received the Order of Lakandula	15/11/2011-16/11/2011	2	5
27	Thailand	Met with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Announced flood recovery assistance	16/11/2011-17/11/2011	2
28	Indonesia	Attended the East Asia Summit and the U.S.-ASEAN Leaders Meeting. Addressed the Millenium Challenge Corporation signing ceremony	17/11/2011-19/11/2011	3
29	South Korea	Attended the Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness and the Partnership for Growth Meeting	30/11/2011	1	3
30	Burma	Met with President Thein Sein, Foreign Minister Lwin, Aung San Suu Kyi, and civic and minority representatives	30/11/2011-2/12/2011	3
31	China, People’s Republic of	Attended the 4th joint meeting of the U.S.-China Economic and Strategic Dialogue and the 3rd U.S.-China High Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchange	2/5/2012-5/5/2012	4	4
32	Japan	Met with Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba. Attended the Conference on Afghanistan	7/7/2012-9/7/2012	3	3
33	Mongolia	Met with President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj and Prime Minister Sukhbataar Batbold. Addressed the International Women’s Leadership Forum, the Leaders Engaged in New Democracies Network, and the Community of Democracies Governing Council	09/07/2012	1
34	Vietnam	Met with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh. Attended an American Chamber of Commerce Reception	10/7/2012-11/7/2012	2	4
35	Laos	Met with Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong and Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith	11/07/2012	1
36	Cambodia	Met with Prime Minister Hun Sen. Attended the U.S.-ASEAN and East Asia Summit Ministerial Meetings and the East Asia Regional Forum Retreat. Attended a Friends of the Lower Mekong Ministerial Meeting. In Siem Reap, met with the Prime Minister of Thailand and the President of Burma, addressed the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy Dialogue, and attended a U.S.-ASEAN Business Forum	11/7/2012-13/7/2012	3
37	Indonesia	Met with Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, President Susilo Yudhoyono and ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan. Discussed U.S.-Indonesian Comprehensive Partnership	3/9/2012-4/9/2012	2	5
38	China, People’s Republic of	Met with Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, and State Councilor Dai Bingguo	4/9/2012-6/9/2012	3
39	Timor Leste	Met with President Taur Ruak and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao	06/09/2012	1
40	Brunei	Met with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Foreign Minister Prince Mohamed. Inaugurated Brunei-U.S. English Language Enrichment Project	6/9/2012-7/9/2012	2
41	Australia	Met with Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Foreign Minister Robert Carr, and Defense Minister Stephen Smith. Opened the Perth USAsia Center. Attended the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations	13/11/2012-15/11/2012	3	8
42	Singapore	Met with former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and Foreign Minister Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam	16/11/2012-18/11/2012	3
43	Thailand	Met with President Yingluck Chinawat [sic]. Joined President Obama	18/11/2012-19/11/2012	2
44	Burma	Accompanied President Obama. Met with President Thein Sein and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi	19/11/2012	1
45	Cambodia	Attended U.S.-ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting and the East Asia Summit	19/11/2012-20/11/2012	2
	TOTAL				77