US is Pacific power, here to stay: Obama

Updated: 2011-11-13 13:39

(Xinhua)

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HONOLULU - US President Barack Obama on Saturday said the United States is a Pacific power, and it is "here to stay."

Obama made the remarks at a questions and answers session at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO business summit held in Hawaii's Honolulu. He said the Asia-Pacific region represents about half of world trade and economy, and is vital for US recovery and job creation.

"There's no region in the world that we consider more vital than the Asia-Pacific region, and we want a whole range of issues... (that we can) be working with our partner countries around the Pacific Rim to enhance job growth, economic growth, prosperity and security for all of us," said Obama.

Noting the world has just gone through the worst financial and economic crisis since 1930s, Obama said the Eurozone is still facing serious troubles.

"We are not going to see massive growth in Europe," until the crisis solved, or at least contained, said Obama, noting that meanwhile the Asia-Pacific region is "an extraordinary engine for growth."

Obama is to host leaders and representatives from 21 economies of the APEC forum this weekend for their annual consultations to promote trade and economic integration.

The meeting is to focus on strengthening economic integration and expand trade, promoting green growth and advancing regulatory convergence and cooperation. The United States is also pushing on the sidelines Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a free trade agreement negotiated between the US and eight other APEC countries marked by its higher standards.

Obama met with leaders of TPP countries earlier Saturday, and announced the broad outlines of TPP. He said details must still be worked out, but expresses confidence in negotiations.

After APEC, Obama is to travel to Australia and Bali, Indonesia for East Asia Summit. He said the visit to Australia will focus on US security alliance with Australia, which has "broader implications for the US presence in the Asia Pacific." US experts have said Obama is to establish a US military base in Australia.

In Bali, Obama said, he is going to speak on how can the United States "work with our partners to ensure stability, to ensure free flows of commerce, to ensure that maritime rules, drilling-a whole host of issues are managed in an open and fair way."