US commitment to Asia strong 'despite US crisis'

Secretary of State John Kerry insisted Saturday that the United States' commitment to Asia was as strong as ever after President Barack Obama cancelled a trip to the region due to the US government shutdown.

john_kerry

US Secretary of State John Kerry. (AAP)

"Let me be clear, none of what is happening (in Washington) diminishes one iota our commitment to our partners in Asia," Kerry told journalists at the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Indonesia's Bali island.
   
Obama had been due to attend the forum and the East Asia summit in Brunei next week as part of a tour designed to advance the much-vaunted US "pivot" to Asia.
   
But late Thursday the White House announced that he was cancelling his attendance at both key meetings due to the first US government shutdown in 17 years.
   
The president had already cancelled plans to visit Malaysia and the Philippines.




Share

1 min read

Published

Source: AFP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world