Obama welcomes Asian leaders for trade talks

Then as now, Obama has weathered criticism for meeting with the Vietnamese leader, given Dung’s rocky record on human rights. Cambodia’s Hun Sen, who has used violence and intimidation against political opponents, is making his first official USA visit during his 31-year tenure as prime minister.

For Obama, the gathering is chiefly another opportunity in his long-term plan to nurture relationships with Southeast Asian leaders and to bolster the regional alliance among Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.

ASEAN members the Philippines and Vietnam are just two countries involved in territorial disputes with China over islands and reefs in the sea – and leaders from both want guarantees from the US over security in the region.

Rice said the region was becoming “the world’s political and economic center of gravity”, and noted that the 10 nations collectively were the fourth-biggest USA export market – including $11 billion in goods from California. Medeiros credited Obama with accomplishing that goal on many fronts, but he emphasized that the long-term challenge in Southeast Asia is that “their interests and ours are not perfectly aligned”.

The AP notes that the late Walter and Leonore Annenberg, who built Sunnylands, had hoped the 200-acre property would become the “Camp David of the West”.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free-trade agreement among the U.S., ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, and seven other nations, will likely be discussed.

Historic democratic elections in Burma, supported by the White House, resulted in a transition of power to the long-oppressed opposition party last fall, but the leadership turnover remains fragile.

Myanmar’s outgoing leader Thein Sein did not be at the summit.

Washington stirred tensions in the South China Sea at the end of January when a USA navy destroyer intruded in Chinese waters off the Xisha Islands.

“It will send a resounding message to Asian capitals that the United States is committed to this”, he said.

Tuesday’s meet is expected to be “explosive” and “heated” as maritime issues, particularly the raging South China Sea dispute, will be exhaustively tackled.

“In recent years, the United States has increased our maritime security assistance to our allies and partners in the region, improving our mutual capabilities to protect lawful commerce and to respond to humanitarian crisis”.

Climate change and the environment – including devastating forest fires in Indonesia that have been cited among the world’s worst environmental disasters – also will be discussed, officials said.

Susan Rice, Obama’s national security adviser, said negotiations were continuing on a potential joint statement that would cover various topics and not focus primarily on the South China Sea.

“The more that we can establish clear rules of the road for how issues are managed, for how disputes are resolved, the more stable and prosperous this region is going to stay going forward”, said Ben Rhodes, White House deputy national security advisor.

The 10-nation axis is crucial for the growth of many American companies – U.S. firms are the largest foreign direct investors with a total investment now totalling $226bn.

China’s role in the region hung over the meeting.

President Barack Obama greets ASEAN’s secretary general.

Bill Clinton was there in 2000, followed by George W. Bush in 2006.

President Barack Obama is hosting the ASEAN leaders, it is the first meeting of its kind on USA soil, as he looks to deepen ties with the region’s fast-growing economies.