Obama Calls for U.S. Engagement with Asia

Says U.S. and Allies Will Remain Resolute with North Korea; Stops Short of Naming China's Human Rights Abuses

(AP)  Last Updated 8:06 a.m. ET

President Obama declared Saturday that an era of American disengagement in the globe's fastest-growing region is over and warned that the U.S. and its Asian partners "will not be cowed" by North Korea's continued defiance over its nuclear weapons and other provocations.

"It should be clear where that path leads," Mr. Obama said. "We will continue to send a clear message through our actions, and not just our words: North Korea's refusal to meet its international obligations will lead only to less security, not more."

Calling for greater U.S. engagement in Asia, Mr. Obama said Americans should not fear a robust China, but he cautioned that all nations must respect human rights, including religious freedoms.

"We welcome China's efforts to play a greater role on the world stage, a role in which their growing economy is joined by growing responsibility," Mr. Obama said.

Notebook: Obama in Japan
Unplugged: Obama's Asia Trip Preview

Mr. Obama offered an incentive for North Korea to abandon the nuclear weapons it is believed to already have and the production program it continues in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions. He outlined a possible future of economic opportunity and greater global security and respect.

"This respect cannot be earned through belligerence," he said.

More broadly, the President's speech before 1,500 prominent Japanese in a soaring downtown Tokyo concert hall was intended to showcase a United States that, under Mr. Obama's leadership, seeks deeper and more equal engagement in Asia. It was the fifth major foreign address of Mr. Obama's 10-month presidency, this one geared toward setting a new tone for the sometimes-rocky U.S. relationship with the region.

Acknowledging Asia's growing power and perception of America's parallel decline here, Mr. Obama's aides and the president himself had said the chief aim for his eight-day trip through Asia wasn't so much to bring home specific "deliverables" but to convincingly press the point that the U.S. very much is in the Asian game.

Mr. Obama reached out through several personal notes that delighted his audience, including calling himself "America's first Pacific president," referring to his time in Indonesia, birth in Hawaii and travels in Asia as a boy.

Photos: President Obama in Japan

In his scene-setting speech of those travels, Mr. Obama promised that Washington would work hard to strengthen already established alliances in Asia, such as with Japan and South Korea, build on newer ones with nations like China and Indonesia and increase its participation with a burgeoning alphabet soup of Asian multilateral organizations. The involvement, the president said, is not just academic - but crucial to the issues "that matter most to our people," such as jobs, a cleaner environment and preventing dangerous weapons proliferation.

"I want every American to know that we have a stake in the future of this region, because what happens here has a direct effect on our lives at home," he said. "The fortunes of America and the Asia Pacific have become more closely linked than ever before."

Mr. Obama also sounded free-trade notes sure to be welcome in Asia, where nations are rapidly seeking agreements with each other even as the U.S. hangs back on new free-trade pacts.

On China, Mr. Obama suggested there was no need to fear Beijing's rapid rise. He called for harnessing China's clout to progress on shared interests like weapons proliferation, a better global economy and a cleaner world.

"In an interconnected world, power does not need to be a zero-sum game, and nations need not fear the success of another," he said. "So the United States does not seek to contain China."

He also said the United States "will never waver in speaking up for the fundamental values that we hold dear." And yet, clearly hoping to avoid overly irritating Beijing, he named none of the many and serious specific human rights concerns with respect to China, including Tibet, where authorities have suppressed religious freedom and national aspirations.

"Indigenous cultures and economic growth have not been stymied by respect for human rights, they have been strengthened by it," the president said. "Supporting human rights provides lasting security that cannot be purchased in any other way."

Mr. Obama's remarks came near the start of a trip presenting him with risks at every stop.

In Japan, the relationship with the U.S. is on newly delicate footing after a change in leadership in Tokyo that has the Japanese moving toward greater independence from Washington and closer ties with the rest of Asia.

While most Asian analysts praised the president's speech, Takehiko Yamamoto, professor at Tokyo's Waseda University, warned that Mr. Obama should not forget the challenges China "poses to U.S. and Japanese security."

"The United States has high expectations for closer ties with China," he said. "But when it comes to national security, China is a major concern and a destabilizing factor for the Japan-U.S. alliance."

After a luncheon with the Japanese emperor and empress, Mr. Obama boarded Air Force One and flew to Singapore for an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting and bilateral sessions with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

After arriving in Singapore ahead of schedule, Mr. Obama was making a quick stop at his hotel and then going to an APEC dinner.

Medvedev and President Obama were expected to continue work on a treaty to replace the START II nuclear agreement that expires Dec. 5. Both leaders have pledge to reach a new pact before year's end. Administration officials said the two men also would be discussing attempts to curb not only North Korea's nuclear program but blunting Iran's perceived ambitions to build an atomic bomb.

In Singapore, Obama also will become the first U.S. president to sit in on the ASEAN 10 meeting that will include the leader of a brutal regime in Myanmar.

The administration has recently unveiled a new policy of directly engaging the leadership of Myanmar, also known as Burma, while keeping in force punishing sanctions that so far have failed to convince Rangoon to ease its heavy-handed and repressive methods.

Key to any lifting of sanctions would be the release of all political prisoners.

Then he flies to China, where relations with the U.S. are bedeviled by Beijing's growing economic, political and military might, as well as numerous issues including trade, currency, Taiwan, human rights and climate change. Mr. Obama ends his trip on an easier note in South Korea, an increasingly reliable U.S. ally.

Mr. Obama made Tokyo the venue for his speech, a symbolically important choice that displayed respect for Japan's long history as the U.S.' chief ally in Asia and one of the region's foremost democracies.

In an effort to move relations between the world's two largest economies toward more settled footing, Mr. Obama laid on the compliments. He noted that the leader of Japan was the first to come to the Oval Office after he assumed the presidency and that Japan also was Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's first stop on her first overseas trip

"Our efforts in the Asia Pacific will be rooted, in no small measure, through an enduring and revitalized alliance between the United States and Japan," Mr. Obama said.

[JoeInBama]

It figures that the left wing mouthpiece that is CBS would not even question as to why the President of the United States would BOW to anyone...!!! This is an atrocity and it should be sounded from the rooftops!

Those complaining about illegals and all of that crap seem to forget that it is the "GREAT MR OBAMA AND THE DEMOCRAZIES" that are going to make sure they get health care and iti is the same dolts that have not yet secured our borders and started shipping them back to where they come from and have "NO INTENTION" of starting...

[PENWEL]

AN AMERICAN ENGAGEMENT WITH ASIA? AN AMBIGUOUS AFFAIR,(COMPLEX)TO SAY THE LEAST. COURTSHIP OF A KITTEN AND A DRAGON, AN UNLIKELY AFFAIR! IT WOULD BE A MARRIAGE BETWEEN MISS KITTY AND MR. HYDE. IDEOLOGIES AND DIFFERENCES OF OPINIONS WOULD BE A MORE COMPEX PROBLEM THAN WE HAVE IN TODAYS JYKELL'HYDE WORLD. MARRIAGE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE FOR HAPPINESS,AND CALM WATERS. ESPECIALLY SO IN THIS WORLD OF DIFFERENT CULTURES, MINDS REASONINGS. IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN. I BELIEVE THE UNHAPPY COUPLE WOULD NEED SEPERATE HOTELS, RATHER THAN SEPERATE LIVING ROOMS. AND EACH ONE WOULD HAVE TO BE A FAST'GUN, FOR A SHOOT'OUT AT THE NOT SO HAPPY NOT OK CORRAL!...

[lightningF]

How much is this going to cost us? I see Obama is bowing to the Japanese already when all he had to do is shake hands. Obama does not have a clue,are you sure he is a college graduate? has anyone seen his degree,or his Birth certificate?

[PENWEL]

JAPAN AND AMERICA ARE TWO OF THE BEST FRIENDLY, PARTNERS, IN TODAYS WORLD. BOTH CARE ABOUT EACH OTHERS WELFARE AND PROGRESS IN AT TIMES AN UNFRIENDLY WORLD. IF AMERICA FAILS, JAPAN IS PRONE TO FAILURE TOO. BUT JAPAN HADN'T BECOME A U.S. PARTNER AND BEST FRIEND BY EITHER COUNTRY BEING PASSIVE. JAPAN WAS ALWAYS SOME'WHAT IN A WARRING STATE WITH OTHER SMALL ISLAND RULERS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC AREA. AND FOR UNKNOWN REASONS, JAPAN HATED AMERICA BEFORE AND DURING WWII. JAPAN UNPROVOKED, ATTACKED THE U.S. FLEET ANCHORED AT PEARL HARBOR HAWAII. AMERICA, WAS MILITARILY WEAK AT THE TIME. BUT NONE THE LESS, HITTING BACK AT THE JAPANESE INVADERS WITH LIGHTNING SPEED AMD FORCE. THE WOULD'BE INVADERS AT THAT TIME, AWAKENED THE AMERICAN SLEEPING TIGER. AS JAPANS MILITARY LEADERS HAD SAID, AND FEARED, AFTER THE PEARL HARBOR ATTACK THAT DESTROYED MOST OF THE U.S.MARINE FLEET. AMERICA HIT BACK, LIKE THE TIGER IT WAS, NO LONGER SLEEPING. AMERICA WAS, AND IS A PEACEFUL NATION, BUT WHEN PROVOKED TO SAVE IT'S HALLOWED EARTH, AND ITS FREE PEACEFUL PEOPLE, ITS HONOR. DON'T TREAD ON AMERICA. AMERICA AT THE TIME OF THE PEARL HARBOR ATTACK. DIDN'T HAVE A MILITARY BIGGER THAN A BOY'SCOUT TROOP, BUT THE ENEMIES OF WORLD PEACE, SOON LEARNED, WHEN AMERICAN SHORES ARE THREATENED, THE SLEEPING TIGER AWAKES AND BARES IT'S FANGES'CLAWS AND ANY WOULD'BE INVADER WILL LEARN, IT IS BEST TO LEAVE THE TIGER SLEEP, AS HISTORY HAS PROVEN SO MANY TIMES!...

[50BMS13]

PENWEL
Yes, America is very solid with Japan, Canada(the US's largest trading partner), and Britain. The relationship rarely gets talked about becuse it is so close. There is nothing the US would'nt do for these 3 close friends. Amazing in Japan's case being war with them wasn't so long ago. War with Canada 1812(Canada won) and independance from Britain 1776. The 4 are inseparabely close.

[PENWEL]

IT SEEMS A PROVEN FACT, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH POLITICAL PARTY HOLDS THE REINS FOR THE BEST OF AMERICAS'S WELFARE. IT WAS HERBERT HOOVER, REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION IN THE I920-30s THAT PUT AMERICA ON WELFARE. HOOVER WAS A GOOD FOREIGN PRESIDENT. EVERY THING HOOVER DID WAS FOREIGN, HOOVER WAS SANTA'CLAUS TO THE WORLD. I'D SAY FRANKLIN D.R. DEMOCRAT, WAS ANOTHER ADMINISTRATION SANTA CLAUS. AMERICA FOOT THE WWII BILL, PLUS COMMITTED AMERICAN TROOPS TO SAVE EUROPE FROM ITSELF AND GERMAN FORCED TAKE'OVER. WHEN WWII HOSTILITIES ENDED, AMERICA REBUILT EUROPE WITH THE (MARSHALL PLAN,)AT THE FULL EXPENSE OF (SELFISH AMERICA YANKEE GO HOME.)LEAVE YOUR MONEY AND DEAD HERE, WE WILL RENT YOU THE LAND FOR THEIR GRAVES. OUR PRESENT ADMINISTRATION MABAREK OBAMA DEMOCRAT. IS NOW APOLOGIZING TO THE WORLDS HAPLESS LEADERS, ABOUT THE (GREAT SATANS)SHORT'COMINGS IN THIS WORLD. OBAMA IS FLYING AROUND THE GLOBE WITH KIND PASSIVE WORDS TO THE WHOLE WORLD OF LESS THAN PASSIVE SAINTS, IRON'HAND RULERS, WHO DON'T KNOW A RULE FROM A CHAIN. I WOULD THINK OUR PRESENT ADMINISTRATION IN W.D.C., IS LOST IN THE REAL WORLD. ONE MAN IN AMERICAN POWER OBAMA, RUNNING AROUND THE WORLD ON A GOOD TIDINGS MISSION, SHOWS WEAKNESS TO THE WORLD AND WEAKNESS ISN'T (MADE IN AMERICA.)IT IS WELL TO BE KIND, GOOD AND FORGIVING,AS OBAMA PREACHES. BUT NOT AT THE PRICE OF WEAKNESS IN A WORLD WHERE STRONG SURVIVE, THE WEAK PERISH. IE., BASTOGN, NUTS TO SURRENDER. REMEMBER PEARL HABBOR? REMEMBER THE ALAMO? REMEMBER THE 13 AMERICAN COLONIES, FARMERS SENT THE BRITISH ARMIES HOME IN DEFEAT. AMERICA HAS ALWAYS BEEN STRONG,WELL TEMPERED. AMERICA WAS FORGED WITH THE BLOOD, SWEAT AND SUFFERING OF PEOPLE BEFORE US WHO WOULDNT GIVE'UP THEIR FREEDOM FOR THE CHAINS OF TYRANY. GOD BLESS AMERICA. AND HEAVEN SAVE HER! IT'S GODLY TO BE FRIENDLY,AND SPEAK SOFTLY, BUT EVEN MOSES CARRIED A BIG STICK, STAFF IN THE DESERT!...

[pubsrtoast]

Mr. Obama also sounded free-trade notes sure to be welcome in Asia, where nations are rapidly seeking agreements with each other even as the U.S. hangs back on new free-trade pacts.
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Oh thank god, 80 percent of this country still has some sort of employment, lets see if we can remedy that with more free trade.

[reveal4]

The new economy is upon us. Many lost jobs will not rematerialize. Credit will remain tight. The stock market is allready overinflated. Americans, this is the future. There will be some slow, economic growth, in time. However, the economy is stabilizing and will remain relatively sedentary into the future. This is the new economy. Get used to it, economize. We waste so much that we can do well with much less. Efficiency and economization will save America. The future is clear. It isn't gonna get much better than this.

[reveal4]

Overseas markets will not suddenly open up. The whole world is hurting. Exports will not exponentially increase when folks can't afford products and can not attain credit. Manufacturing will increase now that surplus product is being sold off. However, the globasl and American economies simply do not have the purchasing power evidenced before the Wall Street meltdown. Wall Street took the entire world to lun ch and the American taxpayer will be paying the bill in the coming decades. The crippling Bush and Reagan debt will curtail real economic activity well into the future. Scrimp, economize, do what you can to live within your means. This is the future. Appreciate what you have, learn to live with less. The Wall Street boys have stolen our money and are still living high on the hog. The rest of us will just have to learn to get by with less.

[Empire-George]

by lovenpeace1 November 14, 2009 1:01 PM EST
Folks,

Before WWII, America was nobody.
_____________

This is very offensive and untrue.

[lovenpeace1]

Hey OregonJames,

The Economic Power of China over America right now is 100 times more powerful than all the Hi-Tech Sophisticated Advanced Expensive Military Power of America.

2 years ago, China passed many new laws to make their economy less Dependent on Exports to USA and more Domestic Consumer based. Guess why? China will destroy America economically soon without a dent into their Economy.

Good-bye to the American Empire and Welcome the new Super China Empire.

[50BMS13]

lovenpeace
Put down your chopsticks! You're spilling rice. The US GDP is higher than China's. You are un-educated. Compare land, infrastructure, money, and debts and the US is BY FAR the richest nation on earth. So the US owes trillions. You know what America is worth? Geesh! The US has more Billionaires and More Millionaires than any Country in the world.

[mav547166]

So why is the US economy larger than Japan, China, Germany, and France combined. Our economy at its worst is still almost four times larger than Chinas.

[lovenpeace1]

Folks,

Before WWII, America was nobody.

After WWII, America had a World ECONOMIC MONOPOLY. The economies of all foreign nations were Ruined and Destroyed. Consequently, all foreign developing nations were Forced to purchase at the only store 'Made in USA' at our High Monopoly Price which raised our Standard of living thru the Roof.

Today, America got No World ECONOMIC MONOPOLY. Americans must lower their Standard of Living in order to have a chance to Compete with Foreign Developed Nations.

I do not give Blame and Credit to Capitalism, Democracy, Freedom, Liberty, Innovation, Organized Labor, Small Businesses, American's IQ and Hard work. I credit our once Monopoly status for our prosperity of the last 60 years. This ECONOMIC MONOPOLY is gone now, so WE THE PEOPLE must learn to live without it.