ntro: "US president Barack Obama tells the Australian parliament the Asia-Pacific region is key to the future."
President Barack Obama addresses Australian parliament in Canberra, Australia, 11/17/11. (photo: Getty Images)
20 November 11
President Barack Obama tells the Australian parliament the Asia-Pacific region is key to the future.
resident Barack Obama has vowed to expand US influence in the Asia-Pacific region and "project power and deter threats to peace," even as he reduces defence spending and winds down two wars.
"The United States is a Pacific power, and we are here to stay," he declared in a speech to the Australian parliament, sending an unmistakable message to Beijing.
Obama's speech came the day after he announced he would send military aircraft and up to 2,500 marines to northern Australia for a training hub to help allies and protect American interests across Asia. He declared the US was not afraid of China, by far the biggest and most powerful country in the region.
China immediately questioned the US move and said it deserved further scrutiny.
Emphasising that a US presence in the Asia-Pacific region was a top priority of his administration, Obama stressed that any reductions in US defence spending will not come at the expense of that goal.
"Let there be no doubt: in the Asia-Pacific in the 21st century, the United States of America is all in," he said.
For Obama, Asia represents both a security challenge and an economic opportunity. Speaking in broad geopolitical terms, the president asserted: "With most of the world's nuclear powers and some half of humanity, Asia will largely define whether the century ahead will be marked by conflict or cooperation, needless suffering or human progress."
While stressing his intent to increase influence in the Asia-Pacific region, Obama avoided a confrontational tone with China in his speech to the Australian parliament.
"We've seen that China can be a partner, from reducing tensions on the Korean peninsula to preventing proliferation," he said. "We'll seek more opportunities for cooperation with Beijing, including greater communication between our militaries to promote understanding and avoid miscalculation."
In a note of caution, however, the president added: "We will do this, even as continue to speak candidly with Beijing about the importance of upholding international norms and respecting the universal human rights of the Chinese people."
Obama's visit to Australia is intended to show the tightness of the relationship and he hailed the long ties between the US and Australia.
"From the trenches of the first world war to the mountains of Afghanistan Aussies and Americans have stood together, fought together and given their lives together in every single major conflict of the past hundred years. Every single one," he said.
Obama had a packed day-and-a-half in Australia, his first trip here as president after cancelling two previous tries. After addressing parliament, he was flying to the northern city of Darwin, where some of the marines deploying to Australia next year will be based.
In addition to the expanded marine presence, more US aircraft will rotate through Australia as part of an agreement between the nations' air forces.
The only US base in the country is the joint Australia-US intelligence and communications complex at Pine Gap in central Australia. But there are hundreds of US service personnel in the country on exchange.
Air combat units also use the expansive live bombing ranges in Australia's sparsely populated north in training rotations of a few months, and occasionally naval units train off the coast. But training exercises involving ground forces are unusual.
