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Clinton makes first visit to Asia Clinton makes first visit to Asia
(about 14 hours later)
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has set off on her first overseas visit as top US diplomat days after pledging greater engagement with Asia. Hillary Clinton is due to arrive in Japan on her first overseas visit as the top US diplomat, days after pledging greater engagement with Asia.
Her stops in Japan, Indonesia, South Korea and China are the first time the region has been the initial trip for a secretary of state since the 1960s. Her tour - taking in Indonesia, South Korea and China - is the first time Asia has been the initial trip for a US secretary of state since the 1960s.
She will reassure Japan that its ties with the US remain strong, says the BBC's Kim Ghattas in Washington. Mrs Clinton says she is keen to build engagement with Asian leaders.
She will hope to find a partner not a rival in China, our correspondent says. Talks are expected to focus on the economic crisis, climate change and the North Korean nuclear issue.
Mrs Clinton has said that the US is keen to broaden and deepen its ties with Asia. In a speech on Friday, Mrs Clinton said that building alliances in the Asia-Pacific region was a priority for the new US administration.
"I hope to signal that we need strong partners across the Pacific, just as we need strong partners across the Atlantic," she said in a speech at the Asia Society in New York on Friday. "I hope to signal that we need strong partners across the Pacific, just as we need strong partners across the Atlantic," she said at the Asia Society in New York.
"We are, after all, both a trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific power.""We are, after all, both a trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific power."
'Real opportunities' North Korea fears
By making Japan her first stop, Mrs Clinton will be seeking to reassure America's key ally in the region that its relationship with Washington is still strong and will remain so, says our state department correspondent Kim Ghattas. By making Japan her first stop, Mrs Clinton will be seeking to reassure America's key ally in the region that its relationship with Washington is still strong and will remain so, says the BBC's state department correspondent, Kim Ghattas.
There has been fear in Tokyo that the Obama administration would neglect Japan as it focuses on more pressing issues, our correspondent says.There has been fear in Tokyo that the Obama administration would neglect Japan as it focuses on more pressing issues, our correspondent says.
But her final stop, China, will be at the heart of the tour, our correspondent adds. Japan's top government spokesman, Takeo Kawamura, said the two sides would discuss ways of strengthening both the Japan-US alliance and co-operation on the issue of North Korea.
When she was running for president last year, Mrs Clinton wrote an article outlining her foreign policy stating that America's relationship with China would be the most important bilateral relationship in the world this century. The visit comes amid speculation that Pyongyang could be planning to test-fire a long-range missile, and with talks on an aid-for-disarmament deal currently stalled.
Mrs Clinton will also meet the families of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s.
The US secretary of state will then move on to Jakarta, followed by Seoul. But her final stop, Beijing, will be at the heart of the tour, our correspondent adds.
When she was running for president last year, Mrs Clinton wrote an article outlining her foreign policy in which she stated that America's relationship with China would be the most important bilateral relationship in the world this century.
Speaking to the BBC on Friday, Mrs Clinton said there were real opportunities to develop a good relationship with Beijing on issues such as climate change and clean energy.Speaking to the BBC on Friday, Mrs Clinton said there were real opportunities to develop a good relationship with Beijing on issues such as climate change and clean energy.
Mrs Clinton also said that North Korea's nuclear plans, the economic crisis and climate change would also feature on her agenda.
She warned North Korea against "provocative action" but stressed the wide range of incentives for Pyongyang to give up its nuclear programme.
Her trip to Asia comes amid speculation in regional media outlets that North Korea may be preparing for a long-range missile test.