Politics
Gov’t shutdown compels Obama to shorten Asia trip
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
In Manila, Ricky Carandang, a spokesman for Aquino, also said Obama’s decision was understandable, and said the Philippines looks forward to welcoming him “at a more opportune time.”
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who left Tuesday for Asia and plans to join Obama in Indonesia and Brunei, will represent the United States in Malaysia and the Philippines next week, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
The trip is part of Obama’s broader focus on boosting U.S. economic ties with Asia. Obama twice canceled trips to Asia in 2010, once to stay in Washington for votes on his health care law, and once because of an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press
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