Speech by the Hon Kevin Rudd MP, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs

In November President Obama chose the Australian Parliament as the setting to announce a “strategic pivot” to East Asia that contemplates a major U.S. leadership role in the region for the foreseeable future.  During the same trip he became the first U.S. President to participate in the annual East Asia Summit, an annual gathering that now convenes the leaders of all the major powers of the Asia-Pacific region. He called for an expansion of the group’s focus beyond its traditional emphasis on regional concerns such as education, finance, energy and the environment, to embrace difficult strategic and security challenges, including maritime issues and non-proliferation, and to strengthen the region’s response to natural disasters.

What are the prospects for the East Asia Summit to become an effective forum for addressing critical political, economic and security challenges in the "Asia-Pacific Century?"

Asia Society cordially invites you to a luncheon program with the Hon Kevin Rudd MP, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, who will address these and other pertinent issues. His remarks will be followed by a moderated conversation and a question and answer period.

Can't make it to this program? Tune in to AsiaSociety.org/Live from 12:30 to 2:00 pm ET for a free live video webcast. Online viewers are encouraged to submit questions to [email protected].

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