Asia experts in the State Department have agreed, saying the administration should be specific and present its best offer now.

His mother remembers the moment her son told her about his new job overseas and confided timorously, "I'm not an Asia expert."

But other government officials, independent Asia experts and industry officials said Mr. Cheney's agenda would be wide ranging.

"The real question is China," said Michel Oksenberg, an Asia expert at Stanford University.

Mr. Wolfowitz, an Asia expert, favors deeper engagement in the Philippines.

Asia experts inside and outside the government say Dr. Mahathir has skillfully used the war on terrorism to win his way back into Washington's good graces.

Asia experts say the Bush-Koizumi bond was genuine.

Like many Asia experts, he expressed concern about the increasing lawlessness in the Philippines, the rise of extremist groups, and a sharp decline in the military's professionalism.

Donald Keyser, the Asia expert and former senior State Department official, was finally sentenced to prison this week.

Back in 1999 the National Defense University assembled a team of Asia experts to draft a strategy for dealing with North Korea.