OBAMA VISIT: President, Southeast Asian leaders to focus on closer regional ties

Noting that economic cooperation is a major part of this relationship, Mr Lee said value must be created through innovation and entrepreneurship - within the individual countries, the region, and through cooperation with the U.S. - and outlined three ways this can be achieved.

Some fear that the U.S. will ease pressure over human rights and democratic reforms as it seeks partners in its strategic contest with China.

"We will not be trimming our sails on any of these issues", Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser, said in advance of the summit.

It also helps cement a legacy issue for Obama, who has championed a trade and foreign policy pivot to Asia during his presidency and is determined to present the United States as a Pacific power. "These discussions are progressing, but I think it unlikely that China wants to be seen by the global community as the protector of North Korea given its recent outrageous behavior".

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsie n Loong and leaders from the nine other Asean countries are attending the landmark meeting, which marks the first time the USA is hosting the leaders of Asean. US companies have invested $226 billion in the region, and two-way trade was $254 billion past year.

"We will continue to underscore the principle that these issues have to be resolved consistent with worldwide norms and not through bigger nations bullying smaller ones", he said.

Those countries are also the destination for large flows of Chinese investment.

The AP notes that while numerous ASEAN leaders would have preferred to have been invited to the White House, since they have never visited Washington, "the range of political systems - from open democracy to one-party rule - and the checkered human rights records among member countries" makes the Sunnylands the optimal destination for the summit as it places a distance between those nations and the democratic values the White House represents.

The leaders are set to discuss maritime issues, particularly the South China Sea, where China and several South East Asian states have conflicting and overlapping claims.

Also likely on the agenda: the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, Obama's signal achievement on trade, which the administration often characterizes as an opportunity for the US, rather than China, to shape the rules of world trade.

It's the first time the leaders of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Burma and Cambodia have held a stand-alone meeting in the United States.

All the top Asean leaders are participating in the summit, except Myanmar President Thein Sein, who is stepping down at the end of March and so Vice President Nyan Tun joins the summit on Myanmar's behalf.

Not all ASEAN members agree, however, on how to handle the disputes, and some, such as current ASEAN chair Laos and its neighbor Cambodia, have close economic ties to China.

< p>In his opening speech, Obama urged ASEAN leaders to form a common stance on issues affecting regional order, specifically maritime disputes in the South China Sea.

And here at the summit, we can reaffirm that strong, prosperous and inclusive societies require good governance, rule of law, accountable institutions, vibrant civil societies, and upholding human rights. As we were reminded again by the attack in Jakarta last month, the scourge of terrorism demands that we stay vigilant, share more information and work cooperatively to protect our people.

Knicks notes: Farewell to Derek FisherRambis has said several times over the past two days that his goal is to lead the Knicks into the playoffs. The 11-time champion head coach then shut down trade rumors and talks involving Anthony and Porzingis.

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