Obama arrives in Australia for economic summit, speech on US ties to Asia

BRISBANE, Australia – President Barack Obama is closing out his weeklong trip through the Asia-Pacific region with a stop in Australia.

Obama’s plane touched down early Saturday at the Royal Australian Air Force’s largest base, Base Amberley. From there, Obama travelled to the home of Queensland’s state government, Parliament House in Brisbane. There Obama attended a retreat and luncheon with fellow world leaders at the annual Group of 20 economic summit of developed and developing nations.

Obama gave a speech at the University of Queensland about the status of his administration’s effort to engage more intensely in Asia. It’s a cornerstone of Obama’s foreign policy, but there are concerns that crises in other parts of the world have diverted Obama’s attention.

The president will also hold a three-way meeting with the leaders of Japan and Australia, plus take questions from reporters before heading back to Washington Sunday evening.

Obama’s visit to Australia follows earlier stops in China and Myanmar, where he pressed leaders to improve human rights and expand press freedoms.