President Barack obama headed for China yesterday on a trip that will focus on Washington’s often tense relations with the country, and will also see the president visit Myanmar and Australia.

The China stop will be dominated by Obama’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, where the White House said it expects “candid and in-depth conversations”.

The relationship between the two superpowers, which US Secretary of State John Kerry has called the “most consequential” in the world today, has been marred by tensions over the South China Sea, cyber-spying and human rights issues.

Obama will also attend an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Beijing.

…”I think there is every reason to be concerned,” over whether Asean will stand up to China, said Joseph Liow, a Southeast Asia expert at Washington’s Brookings Institution think-tank.