Obama embarks on day of diplomacy in Hawaii

US President Barack Obama arrived in his native Hawaii late on Friday, for a summit meeting of countries on the Pacific rim, from Australia around to Chile.      

Other APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Forum) leaders arrived earlier on at Honolulu airport, including Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda,South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Malaysian Prime Minister, Najib Razak.      

The APEC leaders' summit is aimed at forging increased trade and economic cooperation in the Asia Pacific region.     

Recent world economic woes have also increased interest in an embryo Pacific free trade area, which several countries outside are now showing signs of interest in joining.       Not all APEC members have pledged to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal but the bloc gained ground on Friday with Japan's decision to join negotiations.      

The TPP presently includes Chile, New Zealand, Brunei and Singapore, all relatively small economies.      

The US, Australia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Peru are negotiating to join. China said it has yet to be invited.      

-APTN