SNAP ANALYSIS-Obama outlines vision for U.S.-Asia ties
14 Nov 2009 03:19:32 GMT Source: Reuters
By Patricia Zengerle and Caren Bohan TOKYO, Nov 14 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama sees the future U.S. relationship with Asia as one of ever-closer ties and increased trade, but with far more of it in the form of U.S. exports to the region. Here are some key points in what aides had billed as a major agenda-setting speech, akin to the new U.S. leader's June address to the Muslim world in Cairo and an April speech in Prague calling for a world free of nuclear weapons. * Born in Hawaii and raised there and in Indonesia, Obama referred to himself as "America's first Pacific President", to stress his belief in the importance of the region to the United States on an unprecedented level. * Obama called for more engagement in Asia but offered no new specifics on how he might reinvigorate a U.S. trade agenda many see as stalled. He said the era in which the United States was not closely engaged with Asia or involved in Asian regional groupings was over, making clear that Washington does not want to miss out on opportunities in the dynamic area. * Obama made clear that Washington intends to work closely with China, but sought repeatedly to assure Japan, the most important U.S. ally in the region, and other partners, that deepening engagement with Beijing will not come at the expense of those long-standing relationships. * Obama called for "pragmatic cooperation" with China on economic and security issues, but the broadly focused speech did not mention U.S. concerns about the value of China's currency. Obama has said he will raise the issue in meetings with Chinese officials during his three-day visit there, which starts on Sunday. * Obama has been criticised by some who believe he is downplaying human rights issues. Seeking to counter such critics, he said in his speech he will not waver from speaking up for fundamental U.S. values such as freedom of religion and rights. He did not mention specific thorny issues such as Tibet, but he did spell out his new policy of more direct engagement with North Korea and Myanmar, the former Burma. * He said Washington has done more in the past 10 months on climate change than in recent history, to enthusiastic applause from his Tokyo audience. He said the United States knows it has more work to do, as a large emitter, and that it will strive for success at the global climate change summit in Copenhagen. (Editing by Hugh Lawson and Alex Richardson)
China's President Hu Jintao gets into his car after visiting the Changi Water Reclamation Plant in Singapore November 13, 2009. Hu is in Singapore as part of his state visit before ...
