Obama's address in Asia casts 'America's first Pacific president'

Under the shadow of Afghanistan's many questions, U.S. President Barack Obama delivered a speech to Asian leaders and citizens - casting himself as "America's first Pacific president." Asia presents a number of challenges for the United States. There is the constant instability of North Korea and the nuclear threat that the communist regime there represents to global stability. There are the twin challenges of both Pakistan and Afghanistan - presenting another nuclear hurdle and the specter of civil war and the collapse of governments in both countries. There is the economic stagnation that Japan - as the world's second largest economy - has long represented. And then there is China. "I know there are many who question how the United States perceives China's emergence," Obama said Saturday in his address. "In an interconnected world, power does not need to be a zero-sum game, and nations need not fear the success of another." As China holds such a huge stake in American treasury bonds - and is clearly a strategic investor in the American economy - it is unclear what kind of leverage any U.S. president can have on China. And it is unclear if the United States even needs to exert any leverage at all. "China's partnership has proved critical in our effort to jump-start economic recovery. China has promoted security and stability in Afghanistan and Pakistan," Obama said. Indeed, China's export-based prosperity has helped shape the region. It has also given China greater global influence - particularly in commodity-rich regions like Africa, South America, and The Middle East. While the United States may have pursued policies of Chinese containment in the past, this approach is likely no longer possible. "And so in Beijing and beyond, we will work to deepen our Strategic and Economic Dialogue, and improve communication between our militaries," Obama concluded.