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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Bush vows strong support for Asia | Bush vows strong support for Asia |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| President George W Bush has vowed to maintain strong US engagement in Asia in a key speech on his first overseas trip since heavy mid-term poll losses. | President George W Bush has vowed to maintain strong US engagement in Asia in a key speech on his first overseas trip since heavy mid-term poll losses. |
| Speaking in Singapore, Mr Bush said the US would resist "old temptations of isolationism and protectionism". | Speaking in Singapore, Mr Bush said the US would resist "old temptations of isolationism and protectionism". |
| Despite opposition in the Democrat-held Congress, he defended open markets, saying an Asia-Pacific free trade area must be "seriously considered". | Despite opposition in the Democrat-held Congress, he defended open markets, saying an Asia-Pacific free trade area must be "seriously considered". |
| He also urged North Korea to seek "a peaceful path" in the nuclear crisis. | He also urged North Korea to seek "a peaceful path" in the nuclear crisis. |
| 'Common opportunities' | 'Common opportunities' |
| A large part of Mr Bush's speech on Thursday at the National University of Singapore was devoted to the opportunities afforded by global free trade. | A large part of Mr Bush's speech on Thursday at the National University of Singapore was devoted to the opportunities afforded by global free trade. |
| America believes in free and fair trade and we will continue to open up new avenues to commerce and investment across this region George W Bush China challenge at Apec href="/1/hi/business/6153644.stm" class="">Bush backs Apec free trade | |
| "We hear voices calling for us to retreat from the world and close our doors to these opportunities," he said. | "We hear voices calling for us to retreat from the world and close our doors to these opportunities," he said. |
| "These are the old temptations of isolationism and protectionism and America must reject them. We must maintain our presence in the Pacific. We must seize on our common opportunities." | "These are the old temptations of isolationism and protectionism and America must reject them. We must maintain our presence in the Pacific. We must seize on our common opportunities." |
| Mr Bush vowed that the US would "remain engaged in Asia because our interests depend on the expansion of freedom and opportunity in this region". | Mr Bush vowed that the US would "remain engaged in Asia because our interests depend on the expansion of freedom and opportunity in this region". |
| Ahead of his three-nation Asian tour, Mr Bush had suffered a setback when an historic bill to normalise trade with communist Vietnam failed in the House of Representatives. | Ahead of his three-nation Asian tour, Mr Bush had suffered a setback when an historic bill to normalise trade with communist Vietnam failed in the House of Representatives. |
| President Bush started the day with a musical interlude | President Bush started the day with a musical interlude |
| The BBC's Jonathan Head in Singapore says Mr Bush's Asian hosts are aware that in the last two years of his presidency, his hands may be tied by a Democrat-controlled Congress with more protectionist instincts. | The BBC's Jonathan Head in Singapore says Mr Bush's Asian hosts are aware that in the last two years of his presidency, his hands may be tied by a Democrat-controlled Congress with more protectionist instincts. |
| Nevertheless, Mr Bush defended his trade beliefs. | Nevertheless, Mr Bush defended his trade beliefs. |
| He said: "Recently some [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation] members have advanced the idea of a free trade agreement for the entire Apec region. I believe this idea deserves serious consideration." | He said: "Recently some [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation] members have advanced the idea of a free trade agreement for the entire Apec region. I believe this idea deserves serious consideration." |
| Mr Bush's tour will take in this weekend's 21-nation Apec summit in Vietnam. He will also visit Indonesia and next week travel to Europe for a Nato summit. | Mr Bush's tour will take in this weekend's 21-nation Apec summit in Vietnam. He will also visit Indonesia and next week travel to Europe for a Nato summit. |
| On North Korea, Mr Bush called on Pyongyang to take "concrete steps" to help resume high-level talks aimed at curbing its nuclear programme. | On North Korea, Mr Bush called on Pyongyang to take "concrete steps" to help resume high-level talks aimed at curbing its nuclear programme. |
| He urged regional countries to make it clear that any North Korean proliferation of nuclear technology to terrorists or hostile regimes "would not be tolerated". | He urged regional countries to make it clear that any North Korean proliferation of nuclear technology to terrorists or hostile regimes "would not be tolerated". |
| Mr Bush also called for co-operation in finding new affordable and reliable supplies of energy. "It is in the world's interest to work together to end our addiction to oil," he said. | Mr Bush also called for co-operation in finding new affordable and reliable supplies of energy. "It is in the world's interest to work together to end our addiction to oil," he said. |
| Hanoi meetings | Hanoi meetings |
| After Mr Bush arrived in Singapore on Thursday, he and the First Lady visited Singapore's Asian Civilisations Museum and were treated to traditional Javanese and Singaporean music. | After Mr Bush arrived in Singapore on Thursday, he and the First Lady visited Singapore's Asian Civilisations Museum and were treated to traditional Javanese and Singaporean music. |
| Mr Bush briefly tried to play a saron - an Asian-style xylophone - but said: "I'm going to quit while I'm ahead." | Mr Bush briefly tried to play a saron - an Asian-style xylophone - but said: "I'm going to quit while I'm ahead." |
| The president is likely to hold a number of meetings on the sidelines of the Apec summit in Hanoi at the weekend. | The president is likely to hold a number of meetings on the sidelines of the Apec summit in Hanoi at the weekend. |
| He will meet Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao. | He will meet Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao. |