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Bush tests standing on Asia visit Bush tests standing on Asia visit
(about 2 hours later)
US President George W Bush is on his way to Asia, for his first foreign trip since the defeat his Republican party suffered in the mid-term elections.US President George W Bush is on his way to Asia, for his first foreign trip since the defeat his Republican party suffered in the mid-term elections.
He will briefly stop off in Moscow for talks with President Putin before flying on to Singapore and then Vietnam for a summit of Asia Pacific countries.He will briefly stop off in Moscow for talks with President Putin before flying on to Singapore and then Vietnam for a summit of Asia Pacific countries.
The focus of his talks will be on trade and security concerns about North Korea's nuclear programme. The focus of his talks will be on trade and North Korea's nuclear programme.
It will also be a test of his standing following his setback at the polls. His Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao starts his own Asia tour in Vietnam for the Apec meeting in the capital Hanoi.
Correspondents say Mr Bush's tour will be a test of his standing following his setback at the polls.
Reassert world standing
Democrats won control of both houses of Congress last week in a vote seen as a rejection of Mr Bush's Iraq policy.Democrats won control of both houses of Congress last week in a vote seen as a rejection of Mr Bush's Iraq policy.
Humbled by elections back home, President Bush will hope that this foreign trip to Asia will reassert his standing on the world stage. Humbled by elections back home, President Bush will hope that this foreign trip to Asia will reassert his standing on the world stage, says BBC state department correspondent Jonathan Beale.
He will be the second US president to visit Hanoi since the Vietnam War.He will be the second US president to visit Hanoi since the Vietnam War.
Weakened at home
His focus at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit there will be to widen free trade agreements with Asia.His focus at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit there will be to widen free trade agreements with Asia.
However, even that may now prove contentious with Democrats taking control in Congress. Mr Bush is also likely to use this opportunity to discuss with his partners in the region American concerns about a nuclear North Korea, says our correspondent.
The Democratic party has long had strong links with trade unions and may advocate more protectionist policies. President Hu is touring China's southern neighboursHe will be joined in Hanoi by China's President Hu Jintao. His tour will also take him to Laos, India and Pakistan.
Mr Bush is also likely to use this opportunity to discuss with his partners in the region American concerns about a nuclear North Korea. Mr Hu will be concentrating on improving diplomatic and trading links in China's own backyard, says the BBC's Quentin Somerville in Beijing.
The question now is - will countries like China and Russia rally fully behind the US when the president has been weakened back home? India and China still have unresolved border issues but relations have improved as both nations have grown in global economic stature, our correspondent says.
But India remains suspicious of China's military and nuclear co-operation with Pakistan.
And, Chinese state media are saying the two countries are likely to sign a free trade agreement during Mr Hu's state visit there.
Mr Bush's free trade agenda, however, may now prove contentious with Democrats taking control in Congress, our Washington correspondent says.
The Democratic party has long had strong links with trade unions and may advocate more protectionist policies, he says.