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Bush delivers key policy speech Bush vows strong support for Asia
(about 1 hour later)
US President George W Bush is delivering a key foreign policy speech in Singapore on his first overseas trip since heavy mid-term election losses. President George W Bush has vowed to maintain strong US engagement in Asia in a key speech on his first overseas trip since heavy mid-term poll losses.
Mr Bush is on a three-nation tour that will take in an important Asia-Pacific economic summit in Vietnam. Speaking in Singapore, Mr Bush said the US would resist "old temptations of isolationism and protectionism".
Key issues will be liberalising trade, tackling North Korea's nuclear threat, terrorism and promoting democracy. Despite opposition in the Democrat-held Congress, he defended open markets, saying an Asia-Pacific free trade area must be "seriously considered".
But analysts say his main task will be to reassure partners his role on the international stage has not weakened. He also urged North Korea to seek "a peaceful path" in the nuclear crisis.
The BBC's Jonathan Head in Singapore says Mr Bush must also demonstrate US leadership in Asia at a time when its influence is being steadily eclipsed by China. 'Common opportunities'
After heading on to Hanoi for this weekend's 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, he will visit Indonesia. Next week he travels to Europe for a Nato summit. A large part of Mr Bush's speech on Thursday at the National University of Singapore was devoted to the opportunities afforded by global free trade.
Free trade bill America believes in free and fair trade and we will continue to open up new avenues to commerce and investment across this region George W Bush href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6150406.stm" class="">China challenge at Apec
Mr Bush will use his speech at the National University of Singapore on Thursday to outline US foreign policy in Asia for the rest of his presidency. "We hear voices calling for us to retreat from the world and close our doors to these opportunities," he said.
He will highlight the history of US ties to the region, promote Asia-Pacific democracy and look for further cooperation on bird-flu, aides said. "These are the old temptations of isolationism and protectionism and America must reject them. We must maintain our presence in the Pacific. We must seize on our common opportunities."
It is unfortunate [the Vietnam trade bill] could not have been done before the president arrived Stephen Hadley,national security adviser href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6150406.stm" class="">China challenge at Apec Mr Bush vowed that the US would "remain engaged in Asia because our interests depend on the expansion of freedom and opportunity in this region".
But the two main issues are likely to be free trade and security - terrorism and North Korea's nuclear programme. Ahead of his three-nation Asian tour, Mr Bush had suffered a setback when an historic bill to normalise trade with communist Vietnam failed in the House of Representatives.
Mr Bush will want to push forward the fragile coalition that is trying to curb North Korea's nuclear programme.
However, our correspondent says China and Russia both oppose Mr Bush's call for tougher measures against North Korea and they have much greater sway over the leadership there.
Our correspondent adds that, on free trade, whatever Mr Bush's own commitment to knocking down trade barriers in this region, his Asian hosts know that in the last two years of his presidency, his hands may be tied by a Democrat-controlled Congress with more protectionist instincts.
The Republicans lost both houses to the Democrats on 7 November.
President Bush started the day with a musical interludePresident Bush started the day with a musical interlude
An historic bill to normalise trade with communist Vietnam failed in the House of Representatives this week. The BBC's Jonathan Head in Singapore says Mr Bush's Asian hosts are aware that in the last two years of his presidency, his hands may be tied by a Democrat-controlled Congress with more protectionist instincts.
White House National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said: "It is unfortunate that it could not have been done before the president arrived but I think the message for the Vietnamese people will be, this is going to get done." Nevertheless, Mr Bush defended his trade beliefs.
After Mr Bush arrived on Thursday, he and the First Lady visited Singapore's Asian Civilisations Museum and were treated to traditional Javanese and Singaporean music. He said: "Recently some [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation] members have advanced the idea of a free trade agreement for the entire Apec region. I believe this idea deserves serious consideration."
Mr Bush's tour will take in this weekend's 21-nation Apec summit in Vietnam. He will also visit Indonesia and next week travel to Europe for a Nato summit.
On North Korea, Mr Bush called on Pyongyang to take "concrete steps" to help resume high-level talks aimed at curbing its nuclear programme.
He urged regional countries to make it clear that any North Korean proliferation of nuclear technology to terrorists or hostile regimes "would not be tolerated".
Mr Bush also called for co-operation in finding new affordable and reliable supplies of energy. "It is in the world's interest to work together to end our addiction to oil," he said.
Hanoi meetings
After Mr Bush arrived in Singapore on Thursday, he and the First Lady visited Singapore's Asian Civilisations Museum and were treated to traditional Javanese and Singaporean music.
Mr Bush briefly tried to play a saron - an Asian-style xylophone - but said: "I'm going to quit while I'm ahead."Mr Bush briefly tried to play a saron - an Asian-style xylophone - but said: "I'm going to quit while I'm ahead."
The president is likely to hold a number of meetings on the sidelines of the Apec summit in Hanoi at the weekend.The president is likely to hold a number of meetings on the sidelines of the Apec summit in Hanoi at the weekend.
He will meet Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao.He will meet Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao.
The possible forging of a free-trade agreement for all of the Apec members will be on the table.