Barack Obama is embarking on his first trip to Asia as president this week, acknowledging the region's significance in terms of economics and diplomacy for the United States. The trip will include attending an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Singapore, but the most crucial part will be in China. Obama recognizes China as both a crucial partner and a competitor, stressing the importance of maintaining a friendly competition within established international rules. Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser, stated that America is a Pacific nation and recognizes the importance of Asia in the 21st century. The United States will be actively involved in addressing various critical issues for prosperity and security during President Obama's visits to Japan, South Korea, and China. These issues include North Korea, Iran, the global economy and trade, climate change, energy, human rights, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. President Obama will also discuss his perspective on U.S. engagement with Asia during his visit to Tokyo. In China, he will meet with President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao. The purpose of the trip is to emphasize that the United States is actively involved in Asia, shifting focus from Islamic militancy. However, Obama's attention is currently on domestic issues such as healthcare reform, unemployment, and the decision on troop deployment in Afghanistan, which may hinder progress on climate change and trade agreements during his trip. Opposition from U.S. groups, including businesses concerned about climate change regulations and labor unions worried about job losses from free trade agreements, may deter Obama from pursuing deals such as a free trade pact with South Korea. Despite this, the administration has indicated that they will revisit trade negotiations in the future. He expressed uncertainty about whether Asian leaders believe that. Despite Obama's high popularity ratings in the countries he is visiting, achieving concrete results may not be the main goal. Analysts and administration officials emphasize that Obama has only been in office since January and view this trip as primarily setting the stage for future cooperation. They note that President Obama is highly esteemed in all the countries he is visiting. Jeffrey Bader, senior director for East Asian affairs at the National Security Council, mentioned that he has not viewed the most recent polls but the numbers he is aware of are significant. He stated that when a person is highly respected and admired, their message is more likely to be impactful compared to someone with a low approval rating.