Obama is visiting Asia for stronger bonds
(CNN) - President Barack Obama embarked, on Tuesday, on a four-country tour of the region in the hopes of convincing Pacific allies the United States remains focused on them.
The trip itself - with stops in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines - is a rain-check from last October, when the White House postponed a visit to Asia at the last minute. That cancellation made in October only prompted more questions about the administration's capacity for a foreign policy realignment of a counterbalance China's growing influence in Asia.
"The region does, I think, feel like there's a bit of distraction here in the United States", said Victor Cha, a former director of Asian affairs in the George W. Bush White House.
"In polite company, people won't say it, but behind closed doors, I think they'll openly ask where the pivot is - they don't know where it is - or the rebalance in the second term", Cha said at a briefing with reporters last week. "Strong messaging on the U.S. commitment to the region I think is an important way to try to compensate or try to fill that gap".
In Japan, the President will look to further progress on a trade deal.
"I think we go to the region at a time when our allies in the region are very much appreciative of and committed to our alliance relationships", said National Security Adviser Susan Rice during a briefing Friday.
"These alliances are only strengthening in the context of a more uncertain security environment".
"The U.S. has a mutual security treaty with Japan for over 50 years which is NATO-like in its firmness", said Bader, who is now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Obama's trip also comes as two of his stops contend with major transportation disasters. Both the sinking of a ferry full of high schoolers in South Korea and the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 have occupied those countries' leaders in recent weeks.
"This trip has a very positive, affirmative agenda and that's how we are looking at it - as an opportunity to solidify and modernize our alliances and partnerships", Susan Rice said on Friday.
