New York: As the US focuses on strengthening its engagement in the Asian region, President Barack Obama said the American leadership has to recognise that India and China are going to continue to rise and political and economic growth in these nations will be good for America.
Obama, named by Time magazine as the 2012 'Person of the Year', told the publication that America has strengthened its presence and diplomatic engagement in Asia over the last four years.
"We are helping to shape and frame what the Asia Pacific region will look like. That's critically important because that's where the growth and population and increasing centre of gravity is going to be. There is a genuine desire for American leadership in that region.
"It has to be a leadership that recognises that China is going to continue to rise, and we should hope for China's success. A stable China that over time is transitioning to a more open, democratic society would be really good for us economically and politically, and from a security standpoint.
"India same thing," Obama said in the interview.
Referring to his historic trip to Myanmar, Obama said American leadership can be a part of opening up of the country's society where after being in isolation for 40 years, the Burmese people would in future be free to vote, speak freely and open themselves up to the world.
Myanmar's "55 million people can catch up with what's happening in places like Thailand and Indonesia and Malaysia and Singapore 55 million people suddenly being free is a big deal, and American leadership can be a part of that," he said.
On the political transition across nations in the Middle East and North Africa, Obama said he is "cautiously optimistic" about being able to see a region that is freer, more open and more economically successful.
"But I think we're going to go through a transition period that's bumpy. We see it in Egypt. Obviously, there are tragic convulsions in Syria," he said.
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