© Dukascopy
"Asia-Pacific region is absolutely critical to America's economic growth"
- Barack Obama, President of the U.S.
President Barack Obama arranged a forum of 21 Asian-Pacific nations in Hawaii this weekend with the long term goal to expand U.S. influence in the region.
"I want to emphasize that the Asia-Pacific region is absolutely critical to America's economic growth. We consider it a top priority," Mr. Obama said at the opening of the meeting. "And we consider it a top priority because we're not going to be able to put our folks back to work and grow our economy and expand opportunity unless the Asia-Pacific region is also successful."
"This trip is very much about extending a clear signal that the United States is going to be fully present in the economic, security and political future of the Asia-Pacific region, and it takes place in the context of a rising China," Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser at the White House, said on Sunday.