United States pledges to focus on the Asia-Pacific region; US secretary of State John Kerry: US presence and interest in the region was not aimed at containing “any one country”; United States celebrates its Independence Day on July 4th; President Obama u
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    • (July 1-7)

    US secretary of State John Kerry on July 1 pledged to focus on the Asia-Pacific region, continuing with the policy of rebalancing towards Asia laid out by US President Barack Obama in his first term in office. But Kerry also clearly pointed out that the US presence and interest in the region was not aimed at containing “any one country”—in a bid to assuage China’s concerns on the matter. Kerry was speaking at the US-Asean Ministerial Meeting in the Brunei capital Bandar Seri Begawan. Addressing the 10 foreign ministers representing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, grouping, Kerry said the US was committed to a “peaceful, stable and prosperous Southeast Asia.” 1

    In another development, United States celebrated its 237th Independence Day on July 4th. On this occasion, President Barack Obama urged Americans to live up to the words of the Declaration of Independence by securing liberty and opportunity for their own children as well as for future generations. Also, in his weekly radio and online address, Obama commemorated the Fourth of July by looking back at the day in 1776 that a small band of patriots declared those in the American colonies “a people created equal” — free to think and worship and live as they please.”2 India’s President Pranab Mukherjee greeted United States President Barack Obama, the Government and the people of the US on the occasion of that country's 237th Independence Day. "This is an occasion when we are reminded of the shared values of democracy, pluralism, equality, liberty and rule of law that form the bedrock of the global strategic partnership between India and the United States of America," President Mukherjee said in a message to President Obama. 3

    In other developments, according to new US Bureau of Labor Statistics figures, United States economy added a net 195,000 new jobs in June, 2013. The figure was well above market expectations for just 165,000. Revisions to data for April and May added a further 70,000 jobs to previous estimates. The unemployment rate held steady at 7.6 per cent of the workforce, according to the data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The dollar jumped on the news, the euro falling two-thirds of a cent to $1.283. 4

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