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Obama to welcome Southeast Asian leaders to US for talks

Maria Mendoza cleans and vacuums around the head table as last minute preparation are made at the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, Calif., site of today's meeting of ASEAN, the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Monday, Feb. 15, 2016. President Barack Obama is hosting the ASEAN leaders, it is the first meeting of its kind on U.S. soil, as he looks to deepen ties with the region's fast-growing economies. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Maria Mendoza cleans and vacuums around the head table as last minute preparation are made at the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, Calif., site of today's meeting of ASEAN, the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Monday, Feb. 15, 2016. President Barack Obama is hosting the ASEAN leaders, it is the first meeting of its kind on U.S. soil, as he looks to deepen ties with the region's fast-growing economies. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Maria Mendoza cleans and vacuums around the head table as last minute preparation are made at the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, Calif., site of today's meeting of ASEAN, the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Monday, Feb. 15, 2016. President Barack Obama is hosting the ASEAN leaders, it is the first meeting of its kind on U.S. soil, as he looks to deepen ties with the region's fast-growing economies. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

By Associated Press 1 min read

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (AP) – President Barack Obama and the leaders of Southeast Asian nations are meeting in Southern California for an unprecedented two days of talks on economic and security issues and on forging deeper ties amid China’s assertive presence in the region.

It’s the first U.S. gathering for the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Obama plans Monday to personally welcome each leader before the group gets down to business in Rancho Mirage.

The meetings are taking place at the storied Sunnylands estate where Obama held his first meeting with China’s current president.

China is not a member of the association. But its territorial claims over disputed waters have raised international concerns, caused friction with some member countries and will top the summit agenda.