The real purpose of President Obama’s four-nation trip to Asia was to fortify an economic and military alliance to counterbalance China's growing influence in the region. In the preceding weeks, China has shown its displeasure by backing Russia in the Ukraine and meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to negotiate a deal to redirect natural gas from Europe to China.  But when President Obama made comments in support Japan’s control over of the oil-rich Senkaku Islands that China claims as the Diaoyu Islands, Beijing retaliated by devaluing their currency. The U.S. is militarily stronger, but China’s devaluation is a trade war weapon to take American jobs. President Obama said on April 24 the U.S. believes Japan's administration of a contested island chain should not change “unilaterally,” to assure Tokyo a U.S. security treaty “covers all territories administered by Japan.”  Although the New York Times...(Read Full Post)