WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama said Sunday the United States needed to “step up” its game to compete with fast developing Asia, as he returned to Washington after a 10-day trip to the region.
Obama told reporters aboard Air Force One however that he also felt convinced after visiting four nations and two summits, that Asian leaders and people wanted an engaged America to play a leadership role.
“Those folks are moving. Korea, China, India, the entire southeast Asian region, Japan — all of them realize how competitive things are,” Obama said.
“They are thinking each and every day about how to educate their work force, rebuild their infrastructure, entering the new markets.” But Obama also argued that Americans were perhaps feeling down on their chances in the region after two years of deep economic crisis, and added that the United States had a key role to play as a Pacific power.
“I think everywhere in Asia what I hear from leaders and people is that we are still central and they want us there,” Obama said.
“We should feel confident about our ability to compete, but we are going to have to step up our game,” Obama said.
Obama returned to Washington after visiting India, his boyhood home of Indonesia, Seoul for the G20 summit and the Asia Pacific Cooperation Forum (APEC) leaders summit in Yokohama, Japan. – AFP
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