Alongside the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement and U.S. participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and the East Asia Summit, it will serve as a powerful statement of American engagement and staying power in East Asia.

WSJ: Tom Donilon: The President's Free-Trade Path to Prosperity

The two leaders reviewed a range of outstanding issues, including areas of cooperation upcoming in connection with the East Asia Summit, where they agreed to further bilateral and multilateral cooperation on nonproliferation, on humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and also on maritime security.

WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing

The Partnership will build upon the existing energy initiatives in the region, including the ASEAN-United States Energy Cooperation Work Plan, the APEC Energy Working Group, the East Asia Summit Energy Ministers and other forums to expand practical cooperation across the region, promote greater energy connectivity and integration, and encourage collaborative work across these and other forums, including through joint capacity building efforts.

WHITEHOUSE: The White House

And the formation of such regional cooperation such that is East Asia Summit, where there are 10 countries from ASEAN and there is also China, Republic of Korea, Japan, India, Australia, New Zealand, and now Russia and the United States, therefore, I have faith that it will be more effective to ensure peace, stability and order in this region.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama and President Yudhoyono Press Availability | The White House

Fitting then that President Obama will host the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders meeting at the East-West Center in November.

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Others honored by the organization, which runs programs focused on security, cooperation, economics, the environment and which centers on the Middle East, Africa and Asia, were Unilever CEO Paul Polman and violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

In this regard, the community that is built upon an Asia, an East Asia also, and also a framework now through the East Asia Summit framework, we have the responsibility to -- in one area, to ensure that the cooperation in the region, especially in the area of economic cooperation, can contribute significantly to the development of the global economy that will bring benefit for all humanity.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama and President Yudhoyono Press Availability | The White House