China warily eyes Obama’s Asia visit

Tokyo: US President Barack Obama arrived in Tokyo  on Wednesday to launch an Asian tour dedicated to reinvigorating his policy of “rebalancing” US foreign policy towards a dynamic Asia but also attracted attention from China.

Beijing will keep a close watch on the US President’s activities as he travels to Philippines. Just as word was out that the President would be soon visiting Manila, protesters clashed with police at the US Embassy in Manila opposing the visit.

Mr Obama will be the first US President to visit Philippines after 50 years.

The President’s visit comes at a time when tensions are high in the Korean peninsula and ties between US’ long time ally Japan and China are strained. Days earlier, China seized a huge Japanese freighter over what a Shanghai court says are unpaid bills relating to Japan’s 1930s occupation of vast swathes of China.