Obama vows to defend ‘US values’ if breached

“In addition, we have been pleased to hear that you plan to bring significant change to America’s healthcare and public education systems”, the group said.

It was a key message as he prepares to hand over to President-elect Donald Trump – who has spooked some in the global community with his volatile style and isolationist rhetoric. He told delegates gathering for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum that global trade had stopped growing in the past two years, and would only worsen if nations wall off their economies – as Trump has pledged to do with an agenda that calls for putting America’s interests above all else.

US President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping expressed hopethat their countries will be able to strengthen bilateral relations in the coming years, including in areas they now differ on, such as trade, innovation and human rights.

“We now are going to want to do everything we can to help you succeed, because if you succeed, then the country succeeds”, Obama told Trump in front of reporters after the two met privately in the White House.

United States participation in the TPP is central to the success of the pact, which represents some 40 per cent of global GDP and a quarter of world trade.

Returning from the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation meeting in Lima on Tuesday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the TPP had been a major topic of conversation over the weekend.

“I want the next generation of production and innovation to happen right here”, he said, “creating wealth and jobs for American workers”.

My hope is that we can now accept that Conservatives who voiced rational concerns about Trump based on things he has said and done in the past are not our enemies.

Japan’s pacifist constitution, drafted under USA direction after World War II, forbids the use of force in settling worldwide disputes, but the government has reinterpreted the constitution to allow Japanese troops to use force in some situations.

He said he believes the realities of being Commander-in-Chief would “force” Mr Trump to “adjust” some of his more outspoken policies and ideas.

“Assad has been emboldened”.

Obama voiced regret that, despite high approval ratings, he was stymied on issues like gun control, a minimum wage increase and infrastructure spending. I couldn’t listen to the radio all day. “I felt like the media were talking about the Billy Bush tapes and the (James) Comey letter and groping allegations and all of this stuff, and these people are anxious about economic stress”. Democracy means that sometimes you have to compromise.

“Other presidents have taken different decisions; that’s mine”.

“I have to take Michelle on vacation”, he added.

He does not plan to immediately wade back into politics.

But Obama didn’t rule it out altogether.

US President Barack Obama on Sunday insisted Donald Trump still needs space free from criticism to get his team together and policies in place, but suggested he would speak out if core US values were threatened.