China's growing power still a key issue in region

BARACK Obama, who has dubbed himself "America's first Pacific President", made his sixth trip to the region last week to attend meetings in Manila and Kuala Lumpur.

But now that there is little more than a year left of his presidency and the question on the minds of leaders of Asean countries is whether his successor, whoever she or he may be, would maintain this interest and, if not, whether they should seek to make accommodations with China.

This was evident during the Apec (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) meeting in Manila but especially so in Kuala Lumpur, where a series of Asean meetings were held, including the US-Asean Summit as well as the East Asia Summit, both of which Mr Obama attended.