DHAKA: US president Barack Obama will host Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe at the White House next month for talks expected to focus on their joint response to China’s rising power and efforts to finalize a major Asia-Pacific trade pact.

Abe, who will spend eight days in the United States, will go to the White House on April 28 to discuss a range of economic and security issues as well as a formal state dinner, the White House said on Monday, The Straits Times publishes this report on Tuesday.

The two leaders will cover a number of global topics, ‘including progress on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Japan’s expanding role in the alliance and climate change’, it added, referring to a 12-nation trade pact still to be finalized.

The visit signals another step in the Obama administration’s efforts to focus policies on the Asia-Pacific region.

The talks are expected to focus on security cooperation in the face of growing Chinese assertiveness in Asia and Abe’s moves to loosen the restraints Japan's pacifist postwar constitution.

BDST: 1200 HRS, MAR 24, 2015