For those who don't subscribe to Major Garrett's tweets - the Fox News Senior White House Correspondent was able to message his loyal tweeps the latest news from the statements made by Chinese President Hu and President Obama in real time, while he sat in the audience in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.  Why is that so special? As my colleague Kelly Chernenkoff noted in her blog yesterday, access to social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook have been blocked in China.  That access does not appear to restrict messages to those sites from people's mobile devices.

President Obama told students at a Shanghai Town yesterday that although he's never used twitter, he's a big believer in technology and the free flow of information that it enables, "I think that the more freely information flows, the stronger the society becomes, because then citizens of countries around the world can hold their own governments accountable."

Take a look at Major's tweets from earlier: 

1. MajoratWH

Still, Obama say he supports China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. for chines hard-liners this is code for no movement on Tibet. about 5 hours ago from mobile web

2. MajoratWH

Obama mentions Tibet - says supports early dialogue w/Dali Lama...important b/c so far Obama had shied from Tibet issue in public about 5 hours ago from mobile web

3. MajoratWH

Obama say he told Hu abt "fundamental, universal human rights" and will move "discussion forwward in dialogue" next year. about 5 hours ago from mobile web Keep Reading ...

The White House revealed tonight that the jobs and economic growth forum, announced by President Obama right before taking off for his trip to Asia, would be held at the White House on December 3rd.

The creation of the jobs forum was necessary, the President said, because the government has an “obligation to consider every additional, responsible step that we can [take] to encourage and accelerate job creation in this country."

Read the White House release below: Keep Reading ...

After departing two hours early from Tokyo, President Obama arrived in Singapore in time to make it to the end of gala dinner at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.

Donning what we're told is the APEC Singapore 2009 leaders’ official shirt, President Obama posed with the other APEC leaders for the official group photo.  

Local designer, Wykkid Song, created the Peranakan-inspired (a cultural mix of Chinese, Indian and Malay) attire - a mandarin collared linen shirt for the men and a sarong kabaya in silk for the women. 

President Obama poses with other APEC leaders for their official group photo during the Gala Dinner at the APEC Summit in Singapore. (AP Photo)

Tomorrow, the President spends the majority of his day in Singapore, where he will attend two APEC summit related sessions and participate in bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Lee Hsein Loong of Singapore, Russian President Medvedev, and Indonesian President Yudhoyono.  President Obama then departs for Shanghai, China.

Before departing Tokyo, President Obama traveled to the Imperial palace to have lunch with Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

Emperor Akihito just celebrated the 20th anniversary of his coronation to the Chrysanthemum Throne, the world's oldest continuing hereditary monarchy.

President Obama bows as he is greeted by Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. (AP Photo)

from the President's ongoing speech at Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Japan:

"I want every American to know that we have a stake in the future of this region, because what happens here has a direct affect on our lives at home. This is where we engage in much of our commerce and buy many of our goods. And this is where we can export more of our own products and create jobs back home in the process. This is a place where the risk of a nuclear arms race threatens the security of the wider world, and where extremists who defile a great religion plan attacks on both our continents. And there can be no solution to our energy security and our climate challenge without the rising powers and developing nations of the Asia Pacific.

"To meet these common challenges, the United States looks to strengthen old alliances and build new partnerships with the nations of this region. To do this, we look to America’s treaty alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia, Thailand and the Philippines – alliances that are not historical documents from a bygone era, but abiding commitments to each other that are fundamental to our shared security."

Before departing Tokyo, President Obama will deliver an address on how the future of the United States is linked to Asia and the Pacific region - conspicuously leaving out any mention of Tibet.

Speaking to an audience of 1500, the President will touch upon many key issues, including nuclear disarmament, global warming and the global economy.

In a preview of the President’s speech, Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said Mr. Obama would not mention the territory in his remarks but would discuss the United States’ “commitment to the rights and freedoms that we believe all people should have.”

President Obama was criticized by some for his refusal to meet with the spiritual leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, when he visited Washington, D.C. earlier this year. He became the first sitting president to do so in nearly two decades.

National Security Council Senior Director for East Asian Affairs, Jeffrey Bader, told reporters during a conference call earlier this week, that President Obama met with the Dalai Lama when he was a senator and is prepared to meet with him again at “the appropriate time.” Bader also went on to say that the Mr. Obama is expected to raise human rights concerns with President Hu when he meets with the Chinese leader on Tuesday.

Despite domestic criticism that President Obama has spent too much time focusing on issues like health care and climate change while the unemployment rate has risen to double-digits, the economy was not one of the principal topics of discussion during the President’s meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.

During a press conference with Mr. Obama, the newly-elected Japanese Prime Minister laid out the various topics addressed in their meetings from earlier today: Afghanistan, climate change, nuclear disarmament, Iran and North Korea.

On the subject of the economy, Hatoyama said it was not deeply discussed, “the economy was not a major issue this time, but again, this might reflect the times in which we're living.” The Prime Minister said he hoped the two might discuss the topic over dinner. Keep Reading ...

Thirty minutes after White House Press Secretary refused to confirm the change in White House Counsel, the White House released the official statement announcing DNC Chief Counsel Bob Bauer will serve as White House Counsel by the end of the year, taking over for Greg Craig who is returning to private practice.  Major Garrett had the scoop earlier today.

Read the official White House release below: Keep Reading ...

At a press availability with Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama, President Obama told reporters that his decision on how to proceed with his strategy in Afghanistan would be "fully transparent" and announced soon. The President also rejected that notion that the delay on his decision on how to proceed with the situation in that country was related to him not having all the information needed. 

Read his answer below:

"I don’t think this is a matter of some datum of information I’m waiting on. It is a matter of making certain that when I send the young men and women into war and I devote billions of dollars of U.S. taxpayer money, that it’s making us safer.

"And that the strategies that are in place not just on the military side but also on the civilians’ side are coordinated and effective. And our primary goal, which is to make sure that the United States is not subject to attack and its allies are not subject to attack by terrorist networks and that there’s stability in the region that helps to facilitate that larger goal and I recognize that there’s been critics of the process. They tend not to be folks who I think are directly involved in what’s happening in Afghanistan. Those who are recognize the gravity of the situation and recognize the importance of getting this right and the decision will be made soon. It will be one that is fully transparent so that the American people understand exactly what we’re doing and why we’re doing it and what it will entail.

"It will also send a clear message that our goal here, ultimately has to be for the Afghan people to be able to be in a position to provide their own security and that the United States cannot be engage in an open-ended commitment.

"So, I am very pleased with how the process is proceeding and those who participated I think would acknowledge that is has been not an exercise but a necessary process in order to make sure that we’re making the best possible decisions."

Air Force One touched down in Tokyo shortly after 3:30pm local/1:30am ET, about thirty minutes ahead of schedule.  Among those greeting President Obama at Haneda airport were Ambassador John Roos, US Ambassador to Japan, and Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki, Japanese Ambassador to the United States.

President Obama is greeted at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. (AP Photo)

The President will have a couple of hours of down time at his hotel before he meets with Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.  Besides a bilateral meeting, the two will hold a brief media availability and have dinner before they call it a night.  President Obama first met the Japanese Prime Minister  in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.