Asia Agenda

" From now President Obama is about to depart on his first trip to Asia since taking office along the way mr. Obama will meet with US service members. -- Helmand or air force base in Alaska tonight. He then make stops in Japan and then he'll visit Singapore for a summit of Asia Pacific leaders. That's to be followed by a two city stop in China in the weeklong journey ends in South Korea. The global economy and the threat of North Korea's nukes are expected to top the agenda in most of these stops so what can we expect the president to accomplished. To accomplish or should say we're joined by Michael lost one director of Japan studies and resident scholar at the American enterprise institute in Washington. These stakes Michael a pretty high here -- there."

" I think you're right John you know we're ten months into the Obama administration. And the Asians are really going to be wanting to see what the specifics are. He's going over for -- this this massive economic meeting in it we don't really have a trade policy. Tells us to go and deal with the new Japanese government and set the tone for relations. Figure out what the specifics are gonna get out of China and helping none North Korea and Iran. And then finally tell the South Koreans what he's gonna do about North Korea so you know it's a big trip. All of these nations obviously are very concerned about North Korea its nuclear arms and believe and questionable stability of its leader what should the president tell them. Well I think he has to you know lay out clearly what the next step so we've had no negotiations for ten months on those six party talks. They've just announced the special envoy ambassador Bosworth will be going back. -- we haven't had the allies get together to talk about what the approaches and I think that everyone's waiting for. The lead in there and they're worried that he's distracted by Afghanistan in the economic crisis here. And that just its North Korea more time to do what it's doing what about China we've got that huge trade deficit with China what does he say to the Chinese. I think the first thing he he's got to tell the Chinese is don't worry about the dollar and you know the Chinese have been the leaders in. Thinking about other reserve current season and bringing that up politically. You know the dollar's been hitting new lows and he's got to go over there and convinced them as he's got to convince Americans as well. That there's going to be some fiscal sanity in fiscal responsibility in his budget otherwise we have problems with both the Chinese and the Japanese. Well and my -- the final question is is with Japan and new government there and he has to say what to them. What you know we've had this nasty public spat over the past couple of weeks over an agreement. To move around our Marines and close down some bases in Okinawa. I think everyone wants to get it off the table for the visit I think he's got to go and just make clear. He's committed to this alliance in this relationship informal working working relationship with that new government so they don't. Continued it to look towards -- look towards China as a possible partners. Michael -- from -- American enterprise institute Michael thank you."