Sydney, Dhu-AlHijjah 20, 1432, Nov 16, 2011, SPA - President Barack Obama is unveiling a new US focus on the Asia-Pacific region during a visit that began in Canberra on Wednesday and will take him to the northern city of Darwin to announce a boost in military cooperation. "With this visit to the region I am making it clear that the US is stepping up its commitment to the entire Asia Pacific," Obama told reporters in Canberra. "We are here to stay. This is a region of huge strategic importance to us." "It's well and truly possible for us, in this growing region of the world, to have an ally in the United States and to have deep friendships in our region including with China," Prime Minister Julia Gillard was quoted as saying by the German Press Agency (DPA). Obama leaves Thursday for a regional summit in Bali, Indonesia. --SPA 13:49 LOCAL TIME 10:49 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/943954