MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

A weakened Bush sets off on crucial Asian tour

With his public opinion approval ratings at its lowest since taking office, United States President George Bush began Monday a week-long tour of Asia that will take him to Japan, South Korea, the annual Pacific-Asia summit, China and Mongolia.

A Newsweek poll published over the weekend showed only 36% of those surveyed approved of President Bush's performance and 58% disapprove. Regarding the economy the disapproval jumps to 60% with only 32% support. Even more worrisome, over half think President Bush in his final three years "won't be able to get much done".

Bush's first stop is Kyoto, Japan, where he'll meet with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

However the focus of the tour will be the annual Asia-Pacific summit, being hosted by South Korea November 18/19, and on his way back home, China.

Top U.S. trade negotiator Rob Portman called Monday for China to help break a deadlock over agricultural subsidies that is stalling global free-trade talks, saying Beijing's growing status as a major trader brings new responsibilities.

Speaking after talks with Chinese officials Portman in Busan, South Korea, said he wanted Beijing to take a more active role in advance of a World Trade Organization meeting in Hong Kong next month.

China is one of the world trading system's "important players," and "commensurate with that new role they have in the global trading system, I encourage them today to be more active".

Mr. Portman met with Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai and Bo's predecessor, Shi Guangsheng, now chairman of the trade committee of China's parliament.

Portman said there were "very few areas" where Washington and Beijing disagree in their approach to Doha and farm trade".

The U.S. envoy said he also pressed Chinese officials to make faster progress at opening their markets to American imports and in stamping out rampant theft of music, movies and other intellectual property.

However US Congressmen are also concerned with the widening US trade deficit with China and Beijing's growth as a major power competing over energy sources and influence.

The objective of U.S. policy-makers is to ensure the emerging China is a positive force.

"Our premise is that the Chinese are not looking to challenge the United States globally, that China wants to be seen as playing a positive role internationally and that China can play a positive role," said Mike Green, National Security Council director for Asian affairs.

President Bush is expected to pressure Beijing to further liberalize China's currency thus helping US exports.

"The trade balance between China and the United States is bothersome to people here, and we've got to address the trade balance," Bush told the Chinese media before leaving for the first leg of his Asian trip.