BEIJING, Nov 18 President Barack Obama had a brief but emotional reunion with half-brother Mark Obama Ndesandjo in Beijing, during the US leader's first official visit to China.

“We had a big hug. And my wife and he had a big, big hug. He was very powerful, very intense, because he's my big brother,” Ndesandjo said in an interview on Wednesday with CNN.

Ndesandjo, who lives in Shenzhen, a southern city neighbouring Hong Kong, travelled to Beijing to meet with Obama, who is now in South Korea on the last leg of a week-long sweep through various Asian countries. Ndesandjo revealed in a soon-to-be published semi-autobiographical book that he was often physically abused by his father, Barack Obama Sr — a revelation President Obama said is not entirely surprising.

“I haven't read the book. But it's no secret that my father was a troubled person,” Obama told CNN.

Ndesandjo, who has spent the last several years living in China, told CNN after the visit, “what I can say is, we talked about family.” Obama, meanwhile, told the television network “I don't know him well. I met him for the first time a couple of years ago. He stopped by with his wife for about five minutes during the trip.” The son of Obama's late father and his third wife Ruth Nidesand, Ndesandjo reportedly runs a business consultancy in China. He said he last met Obama when he visited the United States during the presidential election.

The two half-brothers did not know each other while growing up, but have met from time to time as adults, and always manage to reforge their bond, Ndesandjo said.

“There's always that personal connection, and I honestly don't see him as president of the United States when I'm next to him,” said Ndesandjo.

Asked about whether the two brothers now are in frequent communication, Ndesandjo said “I would rather not go into that for various reasons. “But the thing is we know how to get into contact with each other if we have to,” he said.—AFP