Obama to make November Asia debut

BBC News

US President Barack Obama will make his debut Asian tour next month - to Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea.

He is expected to focus on economic issues, trade and global security.

He will attend the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Singapore, which may include talks with Burma's military leaders.

But the trip will not include an expected stop in Indonesia, where he spent four childhood years, a period he has often referred to fondly.

"The president... will be travelling to Asia next month to strengthen our cooperation with this vital part of the world on a range of issues of mutual interest," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

China counterweight

At APEC, Mr Obama will hold what the White House billed as the first formal talks between a US leader and all 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) leaders - which could include a rare encounter with Burma's military rulers.

In China, he will touch down in Shanghai as well as Beijing.

Mr Obama's foreign policy has concentrated on diplomatic engagement so far and analysts expect him to focus on encouraging North Korea to return to negotiations on ending its nuclear programme.

His administration has also changed policy towards Burma, saying it will pursue talks with the reclusive junta while maintaining sanctions to try to bring about democratic change.

Washington also sees Asean as a possible counterweight to rising Chinese power throughout Southeast Asia.

In July the US signed a friendship pact with the group amid claims the previous Bush administration had neglected it.

As for expectations of an Indonesia visit, the White House spokesman Mr Gibbs said that Mr Obama had met Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the G20 summit in Pittsburgh last month, and the two leaders agreed that it made most sense for the visit to take place next year.

"They agreed on the importance of having a visit that would showcase the importance of a growing US-Indonesian bilateral relations," Mr Gibbs said.

Mr Obama and his mother moved from Hawaii to Jakarta, Indonesia, when he was six years old. They left to return to the United States when he was 10.

Related Articles:

Obama awarded 2009 Nobel Peace Prize

US President Barack Obama wins the Nobel Peace 2009 Prize for his 'extraordinary diplomatic work'