U.S. President Barack Obama today vowed to expand U.S. influence in the Asia-Pacific region - as he battles to contain the rising economic and military might of China. He promised to 'project power and deter threats to peace' in that part of the world, hours after he announced he would be permanently stationing military aircraft and up to 2,500 Marines in northern Australia. News of the training hub 'to help allies and protect American interests across Asia' comes despite a reduction in defence spending and the winding down of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Promise: U.S. President Barack Obama today vowed to expand U.S. influence in the Asia-Pacific region - as he battles to contain the rising economic and military might of China . Shaking: Obama greeted Australian troops during a visit to the Royal Army Air Force Base in Darwin . He said in a speech to the Australian Parliament: 'The United States is a Pacific power, and we are here to stay'. He declared the U.S. was not afraid of China, by far the biggest and most powerful country in the region. China immediately questioned the U.S. move and said it deserved further scrutiny. Emphasising that a U.S. presence in the Asia-Pacific region is a top priority of his administration, Obama stressed that any reductions in U.S. defence spending will not come at the expense of that goal. He said: 'Let there be no doubt: in the Asia Pacific in the 21st century, the United States of America is all in.' Promises: U.S. President Barack Obama (left)  spoke to U.S. Marines and Australian troops at the RAAF Base in Darwin, alongside Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard . Vow: U.S. President Barack Obama said he will expand U.S. influence in the Asia-Pacific region . Declaration: Obama said the U.S. was not afraid of China, by far the biggest and most powerful country in the region . From Canberra, Obama flew to the northern city of Darwin, where some of the U.S. Marines bound for Australia will be based. He visited a military base and spoke to U.S. and Australian troops. With military bases and tens of thousands of troops in Japan and South Korea, the U.S. has maintained a significant military presence in Asia for decades. Australia lies about 5,500 miles south of China, and its northern shores would give the U.S. easier access to the South China Sea, a vital commercial route. The plan outlined by Obama will allow the U.S to keep a sustained force on Australian bases and position equipment and supplies there. It will give the U.S. ability to train with allies in the region and respond more quickly to humanitarian or other crises. U.S. officials said the pact was not an attempt to create a permanent American military presence in Australia. About 250 U.S. Marines will begin a rotation in northern Australia starting next year, with a full force of 2,500 military personnel staffing up over the next several years. The U.S. will bear the cost of the deployment and the troops will be shifted from other deployments around the world. Obama's visit marked the first time a sitting U.S. president has been to Darwin, where U.S. and Australian forces were killed in a Japanese attack during World War II. The president then laid a wreath at a memorial for the USS Peary, a Navy destroyer that was sunk during that battle. For Obama, Asia represents both a security challenge and an economic opportunity. Speaking in broad geopolitical terms, the president asserted: 'With most of the world's nuclear powers and some half of humanity, Asia will largely define whether the century ahead will be marked by conflict or cooperation, needless suffering or human progress.' Commentators said that virtually everything Obama is doing on his nine-day trip across the Asia-Pacific region has a Chinese subtext, underscoring a relationship that is at once cooperative and marked by tensions over currency, human rights and military might. China's military spending has increased threefold since the 1990s to about $160 billion last year, and its military recently tested a new stealth jet fighter and launched its first aircraft carrier. A congressional advisory panel yesterday urged the White House and Congress to look more closely at China's military expansion. And it pressed for a tougher stance against what it called anti-competitive Chinese trade policies. The expanded basing agreement with Australia is just one of several initiatives Obama has taken that is likely to set Beijing on edge at a tricky time. The U.S. is China's second largest trading partner, and the economies are deeply intertwined. Respects: Obama and Gillard laid wreaths at the USS Peary Memorial today . Addressing: U.S. President Barack Obama made his comments on security in the region to the Australian Parliament in Canberra earlier today . Chinese leaders do not want the economy disrupted when global growth is shaky and they are preparing to transfer power to a new leadership next year. Darwin, where the U.S. Marines will be based, was yesterday dubbed the 'Pearl Harbour of Australia' by its Prime Minister Julia Gillard. More bombs were dropped on Darwin during a surprise Japanese raid during World War II than on Pearl Harbour, in Hawaii, where 2,395 were killed. The Pearl Harbour nickname will sit uncomfortably with many Australians, who fear the stationing of U.S. troops could make them a target for terrorists. Over the weekend, while playing host to Chinese President Hu Jintao and other Pacific rim leaders at a summit in Hawaii, Obama said the U.S. would join a new regional free trade group that so far has excluded China. That added an economic dimension to what some Chinese commentators have called a new U.S. containment policy that features reinvigorated defense ties with nations along China's perimeter, from traditional allies Japan and the Philippines to former enemy Vietnam, all of whom are anxious about growing Chinese power. China was immediately leery of the prospect of an expanded U.S. military presence in Australia. Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said there should be discussion as to whether the plan was in line with the common interests of the international community. Tribute: One of Obama's first engagements of today was to visit the Australian War Memorial in Canberra . Respects: Obama laid a wreath at the Australian War Memorial (left) before signing its Book of Remembrance . Historic: Obama (centre) walked along the Roll of Honour with Australian PM Julia Gillard (right) and Chairman of the Australian War Memorial Peter Cosgrove (left) Responding to questions at a news conference yesterday with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Obama sought to downplay tension between the world powers. He said: 'The notion that we fear China is mistaken.' Capital city of Northern Territory . Population of 127,500 . Least populous of all Australia's capital cities . Proximity to Asia makes it important gateway . Enjoys a tropical climate, with a wet and a dry season . Had to be rebuilt after Japanese air raids during World War II . City was also devastated by Cyclone Tracy in 1974 . Obama avoided a confrontational tone with China in his speech to the Australian parliament, praising Beijing as a partner in reducing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and preventing proliferation. He said: 'We'll seek more opportunities for cooperation with Beijing, including greater communication between our militaries to promote understanding and avoid miscalculation.' In a note of caution, however, he added: 'We will do this, even as continue to speak candidly with Beijing about the importance of upholding international norms and respecting the universal human rights of the Chinese people.' Having ruled out military reductions in Asia and the Pacific, the Obama administration has three main areas where it could cut troop strength: Europe, the Middle East and the U.S. All U.S. troops are being withdrawn from Iraq by the end of this year, and a draw down in Afghanistan is under way. But the Pentagon has said recently that the U.S. will maintain a major presence in the greater Middle East as a hedge against Iranian aggression and influence. New home: Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory with a population of 127,500 . A more likely area for troop reductions is Europe, although no decisions have been announced. The debate over defence budgets is just one aspect of a broader political fight over fixing the nation's debt problem during a presidential election season. Already, the Pentagon is facing $450 billion in cuts over ten years, as part of a budget deal approved last summer. And if a special congressional committee can't agree on $1.2 trillion in more long-term cuts or Congress rejects its plan, then cuts of $1.2 trillion kick in, with half coming from defence. Arrival: U.S. President Barack Obama is now in the Indonesian island of Bali for the East Asia Summit . Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard said: 'We are a region that is growing economically. But stability is important for economic growth, too.' She said that 'our alliance has been a bedrock of stability in our region'. Obama's visit is intended to show the tightness of that relationship and he hailed the long ties between the United States and Australia, two nations far away that have spilled blood together . He said: 'From the trenches of the First World War to the mountains of Afghanistan-Aussies and Americans have stood together, fought together and given their lives together in every single major conflict of the past hundred years. Every single one.' Located: The U.S. has military bases around the world, as depicted in this graphic .
President vows to contain the rising economic and military might of China .
Promised to 'project power and deter threats to peace' in Asia-Pacific .
2,500 U.S. Marines to be permanently stationed in northern Australia .
U.S. President Barack Obama today vowed to expand U.S. influence in the Asia-Pacific region - as he battles to contain the rising economic and military might of China. He promised to 'project power and deter threats to peace' in that part of the world, hours after he announced he would be permanently stationing military aircraft and up to 2,500 Marines in northern Australia. News of the training hub 'to help allies and protect American interests across Asia' comes despite a reduction in defence spending and the winding down of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Promise: U.S. President Barack Obama today vowed to expand U.S. influence in the Asia-Pacific region - as he battles to contain the rising economic and military might of China . Shaking: Obama greeted Australian troops during a visit to the Royal Army Air Force Base in Darwin . He said in a speech to the Australian Parliament: 'The United States is a Pacific power, and we are here to stay'. He declared the U.S. was not afraid of China, by far the biggest and most powerful country in the region. China immediately questioned the U.S. move and said it deserved further scrutiny. Emphasising that a U.S. presence in the Asia-Pacific region is a top priority of his administration, Obama stressed that any reductions in U.S. defence spending will not come at the expense of that goal. He said: 'Let there be no doubt: in the Asia Pacific in the 21st century, the United States of America is all in.' Promises: U.S. President Barack Obama (left)  spoke to U.S. Marines and Australian troops at the RAAF Base in Darwin, alongside Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard . Vow: U.S. President Barack Obama said he will expand U.S. influence in the Asia-Pacific region . Declaration: Obama said the U.S. was not afraid of China, by far the biggest and most powerful country in the region . From Canberra, Obama flew to the northern city of Darwin, where some of the U.S. Marines bound for Australia will be based. He visited a military base and spoke to U.S. and Australian troops. With military bases and tens of thousands of troops in Japan and South Korea, the U.S. has maintained a significant military presence in Asia for decades. Australia lies about 5,500 miles south of China, and its northern shores would give the U.S. easier access to the South China Sea, a vital commercial route. The plan outlined by Obama will allow the U.S to keep a sustained force on Australian bases and position equipment and supplies there. It will give the U.S. ability to train with allies in the region and respond more quickly to humanitarian or other crises. U.S. officials said the pact was not an attempt to create a permanent American military presence in Australia. About 250 U.S. Marines will begin a rotation in northern Australia starting next year, with a full force of 2,500 military personnel staffing up over the next several years. The U.S. will bear the cost of the deployment and the troops will be shifted from other deployments around the world. Obama's visit marked the first time a sitting U.S. president has been to Darwin, where U.S. and Australian forces were killed in a Japanese attack during World War II. The president then laid a wreath at a memorial for the USS Peary, a Navy destroyer that was sunk during that battle. For Obama, Asia represents both a security challenge and an economic opportunity. Speaking in broad geopolitical terms, the president asserted: 'With most of the world's nuclear powers and some half of humanity, Asia will largely define whether the century ahead will be marked by conflict or cooperation, needless suffering or human progress.' Commentators said that virtually everything Obama is doing on his nine-day trip across the Asia-Pacific region has a Chinese subtext, underscoring a relationship that is at once cooperative and marked by tensions over currency, human rights and military might. China's military spending has increased threefold since the 1990s to about $160 billion last year, and its military recently tested a new stealth jet fighter and launched its first aircraft carrier. A congressional advisory panel yesterday urged the White House and Congress to look more closely at China's military expansion. And it pressed for a tougher stance against what it called anti-competitive Chinese trade policies. The expanded basing agreement with Australia is just one of several initiatives Obama has taken that is likely to set Beijing on edge at a tricky time. The U.S. is China's second largest trading partner, and the economies are deeply intertwined. Respects: Obama and Gillard laid wreaths at the USS Peary Memorial today . Addressing: U.S. President Barack Obama made his comments on security in the region to the Australian Parliament in Canberra earlier today . Chinese leaders do not want the economy disrupted when global growth is shaky and they are preparing to transfer power to a new leadership next year. Darwin, where the U.S. Marines will be based, was yesterday dubbed the 'Pearl Harbour of Australia' by its Prime Minister Julia Gillard. More bombs were dropped on Darwin during a surprise Japanese raid during World War II than on Pearl Harbour, in Hawaii, where 2,395 were killed. The Pearl Harbour nickname will sit uncomfortably with many Australians, who fear the stationing of U.S. troops could make them a target for terrorists. Over the weekend, while playing host to Chinese President Hu Jintao and other Pacific rim leaders at a summit in Hawaii, Obama said the U.S. would join a new regional free trade group that so far has excluded China. That added an economic dimension to what some Chinese commentators have called a new U.S. containment policy that features reinvigorated defense ties with nations along China's perimeter, from traditional allies Japan and the Philippines to former enemy Vietnam, all of whom are anxious about growing Chinese power. China was immediately leery of the prospect of an expanded U.S. military presence in Australia. Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said there should be discussion as to whether the plan was in line with the common interests of the international community. Tribute: One of Obama's first engagements of today was to visit the Australian War Memorial in Canberra . Respects: Obama laid a wreath at the Australian War Memorial (left) before signing its Book of Remembrance . Historic: Obama (centre) walked along the Roll of Honour with Australian PM Julia Gillard (right) and Chairman of the Australian War Memorial Peter Cosgrove (left) Responding to questions at a news conference yesterday with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Obama sought to downplay tension between the world powers. He said: 'The notion that we fear China is mistaken.' Capital city of Northern Territory . Population of 127,500 . Least populous of all Australia's capital cities . Proximity to Asia makes it important gateway . Enjoys a tropical climate, with a wet and a dry season . Had to be rebuilt after Japanese air raids during World War II . City was also devastated by Cyclone Tracy in 1974 . Obama avoided a confrontational tone with China in his speech to the Australian parliament, praising Beijing as a partner in reducing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and preventing proliferation. He said: 'We'll seek more opportunities for cooperation with Beijing, including greater communication between our militaries to promote understanding and avoid miscalculation.' In a note of caution, however, he added: 'We will do this, even as continue to speak candidly with Beijing about the importance of upholding international norms and respecting the universal human rights of the Chinese people.' Having ruled out military reductions in Asia and the Pacific, the Obama administration has three main areas where it could cut troop strength: Europe, the Middle East and the U.S. All U.S. troops are being withdrawn from Iraq by the end of this year, and a draw down in Afghanistan is under way. But the Pentagon has said recently that the U.S. will maintain a major presence in the greater Middle East as a hedge against Iranian aggression and influence. New home: Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory with a population of 127,500 . A more likely area for troop reductions is Europe, although no decisions have been announced. The debate over defence budgets is just one aspect of a broader political fight over fixing the nation's debt problem during a presidential election season. Already, the Pentagon is facing $450 billion in cuts over ten years, as part of a budget deal approved last summer. And if a special congressional committee can't agree on $1.2 trillion in more long-term cuts or Congress rejects its plan, then cuts of $1.2 trillion kick in, with half coming from defence. Arrival: U.S. President Barack Obama is now in the Indonesian island of Bali for the East Asia Summit . Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard said: 'We are a region that is growing economically. But stability is important for economic growth, too.' She said that 'our alliance has been a bedrock of stability in our region'. Obama's visit is intended to show the tightness of that relationship and he hailed the long ties between the United States and Australia, two nations far away that have spilled blood together . He said: 'From the trenches of the First World War to the mountains of Afghanistan-Aussies and Americans have stood together, fought together and given their lives together in every single major conflict of the past hundred years. Every single one.' Located: The U.S. has military bases around the world, as depicted in this graphic .
battles to contain the rising economic and power and deter threats to peace' in that part of to 2,500 Marines in northern Australia. News of economic and military might of China . Shaking: