As the president takes off today on a four-nation jaunt, it's natural to think he's after breakthroughs or diplomatic trophies. But that's unlikely. This trip will be a meet-and-greet filled with formal handshakes, fluttering flags and speeches before audiences eager to take in a president who lived as a child in Indonesia.

Considering the demolition job that the prior president did on the U.S. image abroad, Obama's time will be well spent even if he comes away with only passport stamps. This trip is about shoring up old ties during stopovers in Japan and South Korea and cultivating new ones in China. There will be a major stage in Singapore, the fourth spot on the itinerary, where Obama will take in a 10-nation economic summit.

The China encounter will be the biggest...