Obama lands in Australia to renew support

CANBERRA, Australia -- President Barack Obama has fulfilled his promise to visit Australia after a long delay, arriving in the capital city of Canberra this afternoon for day and a half trip focused on renewing bonds with an exceptionally close U.S. ally.

Air Force One crossed the international date line as Obama traveled from Honolulu to Australia. Obama was to hold meetings and a news conference Wednesday with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who greeted him upon his arrival.

The president is expected to announce that the U.S. is expanding its military presence in Australia, positioning U.S. equipment there, increasing access to bases, and conducting more joint exercises and training.

The moves would counter an increasingly aggressive China, which claims dominion over vast areas of the Pacific that the U.S. considers international waters, and has alarmed smaller Asian neighbors by reigniting old territorial disputes, including those over the South China Sea.

For Obama and Australia, the third time's the charm. He canceled two earlier visits, once to stay in Washington to lobby for passage of his health care bill, and again in the wake of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters on the flight to Australia that serving as a counterweight to China's growing influence was just one factor in the ramped-up U.S. military presence in Australia. Others included being able to respond more quickly to natural disasters in the region, such as the devastating earthquake and tsunami earlier this year in Japan, and fighting terrorism and piracy on the high seas to help protect commerce.

Obama addresses the Australian parliament Thursday.

Obama's visit has been eagerly anticipated in Australia, where residents have generally been understanding about the cancellations. In contrast, President George W. Bush was heckled when he spoke to the parliament in 2003, not long after the Australian government divided the nation by sending troops to support the invasion of Iraq.

Later, Obama will head to Indonesia before finishing his nine-day trip and returning to Washington on Nov. 20.