U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday will embark on a nine-day trip to the Asia-Pacific region.

Obama on Saturday will chair the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Hawaii and later visit Australia and Indonesia for the East Asia Summit.

The Washington Post says Obama’s trip seems to be aimed at finding ways to boost the sluggish U.S. economy in the Asian market.

The paper also noted that Obama’s will to expand his nation's exports was demonstrated in the U.S. Congressional approval of a free trade agreement with South Korea right before President Lee Myung-bak’s state visit to the U.S.