Throughout history, not only consumers but also industries in the United States have benefited from growing trade and investment in Asia. Both the United States and Asia have therefore a common interest in keeping our economies open to international flows of goods and capital.
I hope this economic reality will continue to provide a basis for US involvement in Asia, on which benefits accrue to all countries. At this juncture, let me add a few words about US-Japan relations by highlighting the fact that Japan is located at the west end of the Pacific Ocean, where the United States has a crucial stake.