Can Hawaii Be America’s Bridge to Asia—and the World?

Location, Economy, and Culture Might Make the Aloha State Invaluable in the Pacific Century

As Asia continues its rapid advance in the global economy, the resources of Hawaii—as well as its strategic geography—uniquely position it as a portal into the future of relations between the U.S., Asia, and the world.

Or as Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr., Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, put it: “Location, location, location.”

At a Smithsonian/Zócalo “What It Means to Be American” event supported by the Daniel K. Inouye Institute, Harris was joined by the president of the U.S.–Japan Council, a high-level diplomat, and a renowned chef in addressing the question: …