US, Japan, Australia mull closer security ties

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) -- With an eye on China, President Barack Obama and the prime ministers of Japan and Australia are poised to commit their countries to closer cooperation on security in the Asia Pacific region.<br /> <br /> But their scheduled meeting Sunday, the first since 2007 among leaders of the three allies, risked antagonizing Beijing after a week when Obama reached a surprising level of consensus with Chinese President Xi Jinping on climate change and trade, and Japan and China took steps to improve their relationship.<br /> <br /> China has viewed Obama's efforts to deepen alliances with other countries in the region, particularly on security issues, as an attempt to counter Beijing's rise.<br /> <br /> White House officials insisted that the three-way talks on the sidelines of the Group of 20 economic summit were not meant to send a message to China.<br /> <br /> But in advance of Obama's meeting with Japan's Shinzo Abe and Australia's Tony Abbott, the president pressed China to "adhere to the same rules as other nations - whether in trade or on the seas."<br /> <br /> "By virtue of its size and its remarkable growth, China will inevitably play a critical role in the future of this region," Obama said Saturday in a speech at the University of Queensland. "And the question is, what kind of role will it play?"<br /> <br /> An Obama administration official said the three-way meeting had been in the works for a year and that agreements were expected on increasing military cooperation and helping countries in Southeast Asia bolster their maritime capacity.<br /> <br /> Also expected was an announcement on cybersecurity, a further source of tension between the U.S. and China. Ebola and Islamic State militants were additional topics planned for discussion.

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