Obama welcomes SE Asian leaders
RANCHO MIRAGE, California — President Barack Obama opened a meeting of leaders from a 10-nation bloc of Southeast Asian nations yesterday, calling the landmark gathering on US soil a reflection of his personal commitment to an enduring partnership with th
Obama and leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will spend two days discussing economic and regional security issues.
In brief remarks as the leaders sat around a horseshoe- shaped table, Obama said he became familiar with Southeast Asia as a boy living in Indonesia with his mother. Since becoming president, Obama has made numerous trips to Asia-Pacific countries as part of his policy "pivot" toward the region, with the goal of reassuring allies unnerved by China's assertive presence there while also reaping economic gains for the US
"You and the people of ASEAN have always shown me extraordinary hospitality and I hope we can reciprocate with the warmth today and tomorrow, which is why I did not hold this summit in Washington," Obama said.
"It is cold there. It's snowing, so welcome to beautiful, warm Sunnylands," he said. Sunnylands is the storied California desert estate where the leaders will conduct their talks at a conference center with picturesque views of the snow- capped San Jacinto Mountains.
Underscoring the relaxed atmosphere, all leaders wore open- collar shirts with their suits.
It's the first time the leaders of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia have held a standalone meeting in the US. China is not an ASEAN member, but its territorial claims over disputed waters have raised international concerns and heightened tensions with some member countries.
Obama said trade between the US and ASEAN had increased 55 percent since he took office. The region is now the US's fourthlargest goods trade partner. US companies are also the largest source of foreign investment in its member nations, he said.
Obama said he wants to build on that progress "so that growth and development is sustainable and inclusive and benefits all people."
Monday's talks will focus on the economy. After a working dinner, the conversation on Tuesday, the summit's final day, shifts to regional security issues, including the South China Sea and counterterrorism.