Your feedback ensures we stay focused on the facts that matter to you most—take our survey.
Donald Trump’s trip to Asia, November 2017
Trump Administration (first term)  Vice President Mike Pence Cabinet • White House staff • Transition team • Trump's second term |
Domestic affairs: Abortion • Crime and justice • Education • Energy and the environment • Federal courts • Firearms policy • First Amendment • Healthcare • Immigration • Infrastructure • LGBTQ issues • Marijuana • Puerto Rico • Social welfare programs • Veterans • Voting issues Economic affairs and regulations: Agriculture and food policy • Budget • Financial regulation • Jobs • Social Security • Taxes • Trade Foreign affairs and national security: Afghanistan • Arab states of the Persian Gulf • China • Cuba • Iran • Iran nuclear deal • Islamic State and terrorism • Israel and Palestine • Latin America • Military • NATO • North Korea • Puerto Rico • Russia • Syria • Syrian refugees • Technology, privacy, and cybersecurity |
| Polling indexes: Opinion polling during the Trump administration |
President Donald Trump began his 12-day, five-country trip to Asia on November 3, 2017, with a stop in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. His trip included visits to Japan, the Republic of Korea, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster said that the president’s goals for the trip were to strengthen “international resolve to denuclearize North Korea,” promote a “free and open Indo-Pacific Region,” and seek “fair and reciprocal trade.”[1]
Friday, November 3: Trump receives a briefing from U.S. Pacific Command; visits USS Arizona Memorial
- See also: Federal policy on North Korea, 2017-2020
On November 3, 2017, President Donald Trump visited Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii. He received a briefing from U.S. Pacific Command that focused on North Korea. He also met with the governors of Alaska, Hawaii, and the Pacific U.S. territories, all possible targets for North Korea to hit with a nuclear-tipped missile.[2][3]
Trump and first lady Melania Trump brought a wreath of white flowers to the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. The wreath was placed near a wall of the names of those who died during the December 7, 1941, surprise attack by Japan, which caused the United States to enter World War II. More than 2,300 sailors, soldiers, and Marines and 68 civilians died as a result of the attack, according to the National Park Service.[2][3]
Saturday, November 4: Trump tells reporters that he expects to meet with Putin
- See also: Federal policy on Russia, 2017-2020
On November 4, 2017, President Donald Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during one of the conferences in Vietnam or the Philippines. Trump said, “It’s expected we’ll meet with Putin, yeah. We want Putin’s help on North Korea, and we’ll be meeting with a lot of different leaders.”[4]
Sunday, November 5: Trump meets with service members at Yokota Air Base; golfs with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
After landing in Japan, President Donald Trump greeted American and Japanese service members and their families at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo. During a speech, Trump said, “There is no single place I would rather start my trip than right here with all of you. The incredible men and women of the United States military and your amazing partners, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces.”[5]
Trump also thanked members of the military for their service and reaffirmed the U.S.-Japan alliance. He said, “Japan is a treasured partner and crucial ally of the United States, and today we thank them for welcoming us and for decades of wonderful friendship between our two nations. Americans have deep respect for the people of Japan, their amazing culture, their strong spirit and their very proud history.”[5]
After leaving the air base, Trump met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Tokyo. Trump and Abe signed hats that read, "Make Alliance Even Greater." The hats were a gift to Trump from the Japanese, according to a White House official. The two leaders then played golf with professional golfer Hideki Matsuyama. During the round, Trump and Abe discussed trade and North Korea. In the evening, Trump and first lady Melania Trump had dinner with Abe and his wife, Akie Abe.[6]
Monday, November 6: Trump meets with business leaders; continues meeting with Abe
On Monday, President Donald Trump spoke to U.S. and Japanese business leaders and participated in meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Trump meets with U.S. and Japanese Business leaders
During the meeting with business leaders, Trump discussed job creation, stock market gains, GDP growth, reducing regulations on businesses and infrastructure projects, trade deficits with Japan, selling military equipment to Japan, and trade. Excerpts from his speech appear below.[7]
- Trump on trade deficits with Japan: “The United States has suffered massive trade deficits with Japan for many, many years. Almost $70 billion annually. Seventy billion. Many millions of cars are sold by Japan into the United States, whereas virtually no cars go from the United States into Japan, and our car industry is doing very well and our product is fantastic. So we'll have to negotiate that out, and we'll do it in a very friendly way, and I know it's going to be a successful negotiation.”[7]
- Trump on Japan buying military equipment from the U.S.: “We make the greatest military equipment in the world. There's nothing close. And the Prime Minister is ordering a lot of military equipment, as he should be -- as he should be with what's happening with one of your neighbors.”[7]
- Trump on trade with Japan: “We want fair and open trade. But right now, our trade with Japan is not fair and it's not open, but I know it will be, soon. We want free and reciprocal trade, but right now our trade with Japan is not free and it's not reciprocal. And I know it will be. And we've started the process, and it's gone on for a long time, but I know that we will be able to come up with trade deals and trade concepts that are going to be fair to both countries, and, actually, I think will actually be better for both countries. And I have no doubt that it will be done in a quick and very friendly manner. We will have more trade than anybody ever thought of under TPP, that I can tell you. TPP was not the right idea. Probably some of you in this room disagree, but ultimately I'll be proven to be right. We will have much bigger trade with the way we're doing it right now, and it will be a much less complex situation.”[7]
Trump and Abe reaffirm U.S.-Japan alliance; discuss trade, North Korea
Later, during a press conference, Trump and Abe discussed the content of their meetings and reaffirmed the U.S.-Japan alliance. They said that they were in agreement on how to handle North Korea’s aggression and pursuit of a nuclear weapon.[7]
Abe said, “We were in complete agreement as to the measures to be taken upon the analysis of the latest situation of North Korea giving a good amount of time. Japan consistently supports the position of President Trump when he says that all options are on the table. Through the talks over two days, I once again strongly reaffirmed that Japan and U.S. are 100 percent together. … There is no point in the dialogue for the sake of dialogue with North Korea. Now is the time not for dialogue but for applying maximum level of pressure on North Korea. I agree with President Trump that we welcome China strengthening her pressure over North Korea, and it is incumbent upon China to play even greater roles to let North Korea relinquish their nuclear and missile development.”[7]
Trump added, “The era of strategic patience [with North Korea] is over. Some people said that my rhetoric is very strong, but look what's happened with very weak rhetoric over the last 25 years. Look where we are right now."[7]
Trump also discussed trade with Japan, saying, “America is also committed to improving our economic relationship with Japan. As President of the United States, I am committed to achieving a fair, free, and reciprocal trading relationship. We seek equal and reliable access for American exports to Japan's markets in order to eliminate our chronic trade imbalances and deficits with Japan. We're working on that -- something we've all been working on very hard from the very beginning of our meetings.” On January 23, 2017, Trump signed a memorandum that withdrew the United States from negotiations involving the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal (TPP), a trade deal that was negotiated by the United States and 11 Asia-Pacific countries: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. Trump said that he would seek bilateral trade deals, instead of multinational trade deals.[7]
During the press conference, Trump was asked about the gunman who opened fire at a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, killing at least 26 people on Sunday. A reporter from Reuters asked, “Is gun control the answer?” Trump said, “I think that mental health is your problem here. This was a very -- based on preliminary reports -- very deranged individual. A lot of problems over a long period of time. We have a lot of mental health problems in our country, as do other countries. But this isn't a guns situation. I mean, we could go into it, but it's a little bit soon to go into it. But, fortunately, somebody else had a gun that was shooting in the opposite direction, otherwise it would have been -- as bad it was, it would have been much worse. But this is a mental health problem at the highest level.”[7]
In the evening, Trump departed Tokyo, Japan, and headed to Pyeongtaek, Republic of Korea.
Tuesday, November 7: Trump becomes first president to visit Republic of Korea in 25 years; discusses North Korea and trade with President Moon Jae-in
On November 7, President Donald Trump met and had lunch with service members from the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) at Camp Humphreys near Anjeong-ri, ROK. Trump then participated in a bilateral meeting and a joint press conference with President Moon Jae-in. The leaders discussed North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, bringing peace to the Korean peninsula, and trade.[8][9]
During the press conference, Moon thanked Trump for visiting the ROK and noted that it was the first state visit by the U.S. president to the ROK in 25 years. They then reaffirmed the U.S.-ROK alliance and called on North Korea to end its nuclear weapons and missile programs and discuss denuclearization.
Moon said, “President Trump has reaffirmed his ironclad commitment to defend Korea, and President Trump and I agreed to further strengthen the robust combined defense posture of our two countries. In this regard, President Trump and I agreed to expend rotational deployment of U.S. strategic assets in and around Korean Peninsula. … Once again, we strongly urge North Korea to halt its nuclear and missile provocation, and to come to a dialogue table for denuclearization as soon as possible. President Trump and I reaffirmed our current strategy, which is to maximize pressure and sanctions on North Korea until it gives up nuclear weapons and to come to the table for dialogue on its own.”[9]
When asked if he thought his administration’s diplomatic strategy for handling North Korea was working, Trump said, “I think we're making a lot of progress. I think we're showing great strength. I think they understand we have unparalleled strength. There has never been strength like it. You know we sent three of the largest aircraft carriers in the world, and they're right now positioned. We have a nuclear submarine also positioned. We have many things happening that we hope, we hope -- in fact, I'll go a step further, we hope to God we never have to use. With that being said, I really believe that it makes sense for North Korea to come to the table and to make a deal that's good for the people of North Korea and the people of the world.”[9]
When asked if direct talks with North Korea were on the table, Trump said, “I don't want to say that.”[9]
Trump’s call for negotiations was a departure from his previous comments on North Korea. In a series of tweets on October 3, 2017, Trump wrote, "I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man. Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done! Being nice to Rocket Man hasn't worked in 25 years, why would it work now? Clinton failed, Bush failed, and Obama failed. I won't fail."[10][11][12]
Below are some of Trump’s comments from the press conference.
- Trump on North Korea: “North Korea is a worldwide threat that requires worldwide action. We call on every responsible nation, including China and Russia, to demand that the North Korean regime end its nuclear weapons and its missile programs, and live in peace. … All nations must implement U.N. Security Council regulations and cease trade and business entirely with North Korea. It is unacceptable that nations would help to arm and finance this increasingly dangerous regime. As we work together to resolve this problem using all available tools short of military action, the United States stands prepared to defend itself and its allies using the full range of our unmatched military capabilities if need be.”[9]
- Trump on improving the economic relationship between the U.S. and the ROK: “Currently, we are looking at ways of improving our economic relationship. I would like to thank President Moon for instructing his trade negotiators to work closely with us to quickly pursue a much better deal -- a deal that, frankly, has been quite unsuccessful and not very good for the United States.”
- Trump on selling military equipment to ROK: “The President and I have agreed they'll be buying a tremendous -- which they want, and which they need, and everybody thinks it makes a lot of sense. We make the greatest military equipment in the world, whether it's planes, whether it's missiles. No matter what it is, we have the greatest military equipment in the world. And South Korea will be ordering billions of dollars of that equipment, which, frankly, for them makes a lot of sense. And for us, it means jobs; it means reducing our trade deficit with South Korea.”[9]
Trump forced to abandon secret trip to DMZ because of weather
While en route to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North Korea and the Republic of Korea, Trump had to abandon the secretly planned and unannounced visit because of bad weather.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, “This did not work out as planned." She added that it was “something the president wanted to do.”[13]
According to Politico, "Trump was supposed to be joined by South Korean president Moon Jae-in, the first time an American and South Korean president had visited the DMZ together."[13]
Trump delivers speech to the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea
In the evening, Trump spoke to the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea (ROK). During his speech, Trump praised the ROK for its success and compared it to North Korea. He said, "North Korea is a country ruled as a cult. At the center of this military cult is a deranged belief in the leader’s destiny to rule as parent protector over a conquered Korean Peninsula and an enslaved Korean people. The more successful South Korea becomes, the more decisively you discredit the dark fantasy at the heart of the Kim regime. In this way, the very existence of a thriving South Korean republic threatens the very survival of the North Korean dictatorship. This city and this assembly are living proof that a free and independent Korea not only can, but does stand strong, sovereign, and proud among the nations of the world."[14]
Trump also issued a warning to North Korea if it continued to provoke the U.S. and its allies. He said, "America does not seek conflict or confrontation, but we will never run from it. History is filled with discarded regimes that have foolishly tested America’s resolve. Anyone who doubts the strength or determination of the United States should look to our past, and you will doubt it no longer. We will not permit America or our allies to be blackmailed or attacked. We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction. We will not be intimidated. And we will not let the worst atrocities in history be repeated here, on this ground, we fought and died so hard to secure."[14]
Trump concluded his speech by calling on every nation to isolate North Korea. He said, "All responsible nations must join forces to isolate the brutal regime of North Korea -- to deny it and any form -- any form of it. You cannot support, you cannot supply, you cannot accept. We call on every nation, including China and Russia, to fully implement U.N. Security Council resolutions, downgrade diplomatic relations with the regime, and sever all ties of trade and technology."[14]
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright says show of force and diplomacy important in dealing with North Korea
On November 9, 2017, during an interview on CNN, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said that Trump's show of military force and diplomacy in dealing with North Korea was an important moment in his trip. When asked about the outcome of Trump's trip, Albright said, "I think that he will be gathering as much help as possible [to deal with North Korea]. And I think the combination, and I had to say that some of the things that happened when he was in Seoul were very important in terms of showing that we had the military strength with three aircraft carrier strike groups and a submarine and all that."[15]
When asked if she thought the aircraft carriers got North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un's attention, Albright said, "Well, I think what is important is to realize the tools in the toolbox. You have to use a combination of diplomacy, which I do think there were some beginnings in that in terms of saying that they should talk, and kind of the support of force. But you have to be careful in the way that you kind of syncopate those two particular tools."[15]
Wednesday, November 8: President Xi welcomes Trump with lavish ceremony
- See also: Federal policy on China, 2017-2020
On November 8, President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China. Upon arrival, Trump and first lady Melania Trump were greeted by a marching band, soldiers standing at attention, and children waving miniature Chinese and American flags. The Trumps then toured the Forbidden City and watched an opera performance and acrobatic display with Xi and Madame Peng Liyuan. Trump was the first American president to receive a private tour of the Forbidden City from a Chinese president.
According to Reuters, the welcoming ceremony for Trump was "more elaborate than usual. ... While the sprawling palace complex in the center of Beijing is a regular stop for visiting dignitaries, it is rare for a Chinese leader to provide a personal escort, confirmation of the 'state visit-plus' treatment that China had promised for Trump."[16]
Trump and Xi were expected to discuss North Korea and trade during their meetings.
Thursday, November 9: Trump speaks to business leaders and meets with President Xi
On November 9, President Donald Trump spoke to business leaders, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and discussed North Korea, extremism in Afghanistan, and trade during a joint press conference with Xi.
Trump calls for fair and reciprocal trade relationship with China
During a meeting with business leaders, Trump called for a fair and reciprocal trade relationship. He said that he did not blame China for the trade imbalance; instead, he blamed past administrations for the imbalance. Trump said,
| “ | Trade between China and the United States has not been, over the last many, many years, a very fair one for us. As we all know, America has a huge annual trade deficit with China -- a number beyond anything what anybody would understand. This number is, shockingly, hundreds of billions of dollars each year. Estimates are as high as $500 billion a year. We must immediately address the unfair trade practices that drive this deficit, along with barriers to market success. We really have to look at access, forced technology transfer, and the theft of intellectual property, which just, by and of itself, is costing the United States and its companies at least $300 billion a year.
Both the United States and China will have a more prosperous future if we can achieve a level economic playing field. Right now, unfortunately, it is a very one-sided and unfair one. But -- but I don't blame China. After all, who can blame a country for being able to take advantage of another country for the benefit of its citizens? I give China great credit. But, in actuality, I do blame past administrations for allowing this out-of-control trade deficit to take place and to grow. We have to fix this because it just doesn't work for our great American companies, and it doesn't work for our great American workers. It is just not sustainable. I look forward to working toward that goal and to pursuing fair and lasting engagement.[17] |
” |
| —President Donald Trump[18] | ||
Trump also spoke about the importance of security in the region, thanked China for cutting off banking ties to North Korea, and called for more action to isolate the rogue nation. Trump said,
| “ | In order to achieve prosperity, we must also have security. ... Chief among these threats is the North Korean nuclear menace. As I stated in my address to the National Assembly in Seoul yesterday, the United States is committed to the complete and permanent denuclearization of North Korea. So important. China can fix this problem easily and quickly, and I am calling on China and your great President to hopefully work on it very hard. ... We call on all nations to implement U.N. Security Council sanctions and resolutions and to cease doing business with the North Korean regime. All nations must come together to ensure that this rogue regime cannot threaten the world with its nuclear weapons.
I thank President Xi for his recent efforts to restrict trade with North Korea and to cut off all banking ties. Mr. President, thank you, and thank you to all of the Chinese business leaders here today for standing with the United States and our coalition of responsible nations. But time is quickly running out. We must act fast, and hopefully China will act faster and more effectively on this problem than anyone. I'm also calling on Russia to help rein in this potentially very tragic situation.[17] |
” |
| —President Donald Trump[18] | ||
Schumer criticizes Trump for blaming past presidents for trade imbalance
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) criticized Trump for saying that past administrations were responsible for the trade imbalance with China and called for him to get tougher with China. Schumer said, “The president may not blame China, but I do, and so do millions of Americans who voted for him and others who have lost their jobs at the hands of China’s rapacious trade policies. After campaigning like a lion against China’s trade practices, the president is governing like a lamb. Rather than treating China with kid gloves, the president should be much tougher with China — as he promised he would be on the campaign trail."[19]
Trump and Xi discuss North Korea, extremism in Afghanistan, and trade
During a joint press conference, President Donald Trump said that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed North Korea, extremism in Afghanistan, and trade.[20]
- Trump on North Korea: "Today, President Xi -- we discussed our mutual commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea. We agreed not to replicate failed approaches of the past -- and there were many. We agreed on the need to fully implement all U.N. Security Council resolutions on North Korea and to increase economic pressure until North Korea abandons its reckless and dangerous path. All responsible nations must join together to stop arming and financing -- and even trading with -- the murderous North Korean regime. Together, we have in our power to finally liberate this region and the world from this very serious nuclear menace. But it will require collective action, collective strength, and collective devotion to winning the peace."[20]
- Trump on Afghanistan: "In order to create a more secure future for all and to protect our citizens from extremism and terrorism, President Xi and I also committed to working toward a peaceful future for Afghanistan. Terrorists are a threat to all of humanity, and we will stop radical Islamic terrorism."[20]
- Trump on trade: "President Xi and I discussed improving our economic relationship. We want a vibrant trade relationship with China. We also want a fair and reciprocal one. Today, I discussed with President Xi the chronic imbalance in our relationship as it pertains to trade, and the concrete steps that we'll jointly take to solve the problem of the massive trade distortion. This includes addressing China’s market access restrictions and technology transfer requirements, which prevent American companies from being able to fairly compete within China. The United States is committed to protecting the intellectual property of our companies and providing a level playing field for our workers."[20]
Friday, November 10: Trump visits Danang, Vietnam; speaks at APEC forum
On November 10, President Donald Trump traveled to Danang, Vietnam, and participated in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting and delivered a speech at the APEC CEO Summit.
Sanders: No meeting with Putin scheduled
While en route to Danang, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters that Trump was not scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. She said, "Regarding the Putin meeting: There was never a meeting confirmed and there will not be one that takes place due to scheduling conflicts on both sides. We're not going to be able to make anything work. ... There's no formal meeting or anything scheduled for them. Now, they're going to be in the same place, so are they going to bump into each other and say hello? Certainly possible and likely. But in terms of a scheduled, formal meeting, there's not one on the calendar and we don’t anticipate that there will be one." Earlier in the week, Trump said that he expected to meet with Putin.[21]
Trump and Xi offer contrasting views on global trade at APEC forum
During speeches at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping offered contrasting views of global trade. While Xi focused on multilateralism and globalization, Trump focused bilateral trade deals and what he described as unfair trade policies that have hurt the U.S. Trump said, "We seek robust trade relationships rooted in the principles of fairness and reciprocity. When the United States enters into a trading relationship with other countries or other peoples, we will, from now on, expect that our partners will faithfully follow the rules just like we do. We expect that markets will be open to an equal degree on both sides, and that private industry, not government planners, will direct investment. Unfortunately, for too long and in too many places, the opposite has happened. For many years, the United States systematically opened our economy with few conditions. We lowered or ended tariffs, reduced trade barriers, and allowed foreign goods to flow freely into our country. But while we lowered market barriers, other countries didn’t open their markets to us."
Trump said that he would pursue bilateral trade agreements with Indo-Pacific nations. He added, "What we will no longer do is enter into large agreements that tie our hands, surrender our sovereignty, and make meaningful enforcement practically impossible." Trump also said that the U.S. would not tolerate the theft of intellectual property, subsidizing "of industries through colossal state-owned enterprises that put private competitors out of business, or allowing American companies to be "targeted by state-affiliated actors for economic gain, whether through cyberattacks, corporate espionage, or other anti-competitive practices."
Matthew Goodman, who handled U.S. coordination with APEC in both the George W. Bush and Obama administrations commented on Trump's change in policy, saying, “What the president said in Da Nang is a serious blow to the strategy that multiple presidents have been pursuing over the last 30 years of advancing Asia-Pacific integration. We helped form APEC in 1989 to create trade liberalization in an Asian way—nonbinding, and consensual."[22]
James W. Fatheree, acting vice president for Asia of the International Affairs Division of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said that the new approach to trade could deter other nations from entering into new trade agreements with the U.S. He said, “While he did say something today about seeking mutually beneficial agreements, until they can convince partners and illustrate and demonstrate there is a win-win, there won’t be a long line of countries lining up for bilaterals.”[22]
Saturday, November 11: Trump visits Hanoi, Vietnam
On November 11, President Donald Trump traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam, for an official visit and bilateral engagements with President Tran Dai Quang.
Trump discusses Syria, Putin, and Russian meddling in the 2016 election
While en route to Hanoi, Trump was asked about his discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said that he and Putin released a joint statement on Syria. Trump said, "It's going to save tremendous numbers of lives. And we did that very quickly. We agreed very quickly. ... We talked about Syria and de-conflicting, et cetera. You know, we have areas where troops are facing -- our troops -- I mean, their troops are facing our troops and there's nothing in between. And we issued a statement -- a joint statement."[23]
When asked if he discussed Russia's attempts to meddle in 2016 elections with Putin, Trump said, "He said he didn't meddle. He said he didn't meddle. I asked him again. You can only ask so many times. But I just asked him again, and he said he absolutely did not meddle in our election. He did not do what they're saying he did."[23]
When asked how Russian meddling came up during their conversation, Trump said, "He just -- every time he sees me, he says, 'I didn't do that.' And I believe -- I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it. But he says, 'I didn't do that.' I think he's very insulted by it, if you want to know the truth. Don't forget, all he said is he never did that, he didn't do that. I think he's very insulted by it, which is not a good thing for our country. Because again, if we had a relationship with Russia, North Korea -- which is our single biggest problem right now -- North Korea, it would be helped a lot. I think I'm doing very well with respect to China. They've cut off financing; they've cut off bank lines; they've cut off lots of oil and lots of other things, lots of trade. And it's having a big impact. But Russia, on the other hand, may be making up the difference. And if they are, that's not a good thing."[23]
Trump also said that building a relationship with Putin has been difficult because of the allegations of collusion. He said, "There's an artificial barrier that puts in the way by the Democrats. It's a fake barrier. There was no collusion. Everybody knows there was no collusion. I mean, you speak to these people -- I saw Dianne Feinstein the other day and I respect her. She was on television the other day saying there's no collusion. The Democrats -- the Republicans come out screaming it, but the Democrats come out, and they say, 'No, there's no collusion.' There is no collusion. There's nothing. And I think it's a shame that something like that can destroy a very important potential relationship between two countries that are very important countries. Russia could really help us. And the Democrats wanted to have a good relationship with Russia, but they couldn't do it because they didn't have the talent to do it."[23]
Trump clarifies comments on Putin and Russian meddling in the 2016 election
During a joint press conference after landing in Hanoi, Trump was asked to clarify his comments on whether he believed Putin knew about Russian meddling in the 2016 election. A reporter asked, "Could you, once and for all, definitively, sir -- yes or no -- say whether or not you believe that President Putin and/or Russia interfered in the election?"[24]
Trump said, "What I said there, I'm surprised that there's any conflict on this. What I said there is that I believe he believes that, and that's very important for somebody to believe. I believe that he feels that he and Russia did not meddle in the election. As to whether I believe it or not, I'm with our agencies, especially as currently constituted with their leadership. I believe in our intel agencies, our intelligence agencies. I've worked with them very strongly. There weren’t seventeen as was previously reported; there were actually four. But they were saying there was seventeen; there were actually four. But as currently led by fine people, I believe very much in our intelligence agencies."[24]
Trump discusses trade, security, and North Korea during joint press conference with President Tran Dai Quang
During a joint press conference with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang, Trump said that he and Quang discussed deepening the trade relationship between the two nations and security issues. Trump said, "Moving forward, I welcome Vietnam’s commitment to eliminating trade barriers for U.S. agricultural products. It's very important. We must ensure that American farmers and all American companies, especially those in digital services and e-commerce, can compete on a level playing field. And we look forward to working with you to combat predatory and unfair trade practices in the region. On security issues, we continue to work with our Vietnamese partners and with partners across the region on a range of challenges, including maritime security, counterterrorism, human and drug trafficking, cybercrime, and disease prevention."[24]
Trump also discussed North Korea, saying, "As I said in my speech to the Republic of Korea’s National Assembly: All responsible nations must act now to ensure that North Korea’s rogue regime stops threatening the world with unthinkable loss of life. Safety and security are goals that should unite all civilized nations. We want progress, not provocation. I mean, we have been provoked; the world has been provoked. We don't want that. We want stability, not chaos. And we want peace, not war."[24]
Sunday, November 12: Trump visits Manila, Philippines
On November 12, President Donald Trump visited Manila, Philippines. He participated in the Special Gala Celebration Dinner for the 50th Anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The group of 10 Southeast Asian Nations works to promote "economic growth, social progress and cultural development" in the region. The group includes Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.[25]
Monday, November 13: Trump participates in U.S.-ASEAN Summit
On November 13, President Donald Trump participated in a ceremony celebrating the 40th anniversary of U.S.-ASEAN relations at the U.S.-ASEAN Summit. He also participated in bilateral meetings with President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines and met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Trump speaks at U.S.-ASEAN Summit
During a speech at the 5th U.S.-ASEAN Summit, Trump said that he wanted to develop economic partnerships based on fairness and reciprocity. He said, "Today, we celebrate your incredible success, and we also seek economic partnerships on the basis of fairness and reciprocity. As the world knows, the United States, since our election on November 8th, has been moving ahead really brilliantly on an economic basis. We have the highest stock market we've ever had. We have the lowest unemployment in 17 years. The value of stocks has risen $5.5 trillion. And companies are moving into the United States. A lot of companies are moving. They're moving back. They want to be there. The enthusiasm levels are the highest ever recorded on the charts. So we're very happy about that, and we think that bodes very well for your region because of the relationship that we have."[26]
Trump also spoke about his vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. He said, "So we want our partners in the region to be strong, independent, and prosperous, in control of their own destinies, and satellites to no one. These are the principles behind our vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific."[26]
Trump says announcement will be made regarding trade and North Korea
During a press conference, Trump said that his administration would make a statement on trade and North Korea on Wednesday. He said, "We'll be making a statement when we get back from the White House sometime during Wednesday. And it will be a very complete statement as to trade, as to North Korea, as to a lot of other things. We've made some very big steps with respect to trade, far bigger than anything you know, in addition to about $300 billion in sales to various companies, including China -- that was $250 billion and going up very substantially from that. But we've made a lot of big progress on trade. We have deficits with almost everybody. Those deficits are going to be cut very quickly and very substantially."[27]
Trump meets with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte; conflicting reports on human rights discussion
Trump met with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, but the two sides initially issued conflicting reports about whether the leaders discussed human rights abuses. According to the Associated Press, "The White House later said the two leaders discussed the Islamic State group, illegal drugs and trade during the 40-minute meeting. Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said human rights came up 'briefly' in the context of the Philippines’ fight against illegal drugs. She did not say if Trump was critical of Duterte’s program."[28]
Harry Roque, a spokesman for Duterte, contradicted Sanders' comments, saying, “There was no mention of human rights. There was no mention of extralegal killings. There was only a rather lengthy discussion of the Philippine war on drugs with President Duterte doing most of the explaining.”[28]
Later in the day, the Trump administration and Duterte issued a joint statement saying that “the two sides underscored that human rights and the dignity of human life are essential, and agreed to continue mainstreaming the human rights agenda in their national programs.”[28]
Human rights abuses were a concern under Duterte. According to The Wall Street Journal, "Thousands of people have died in the crackdown on illegal drugs, most shot during police operations or by gunmen that activists say are police in plainclothes—a charge that Mr. Duterte denies."[29]
See also
- Federal policy on Afghanistan, 2017-2020
- Federal policy on China, 2017-2020
- Federal policy on North Korea, 2017-2020
- Federal policy on Russia, 2017-2020
- Federal policy on trade, 2017-2020
Footnotes
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "North Korea Will Be Top Subject for Trump During Asia Tour," November 3, 2017
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Associated Press, "On eve of Asia trip, Trump pays visit to Pearl Harbor," November 4, 2017
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 CBS News, "Trump kicks off Asia trip with visits to Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona memorial," November 4, 2017
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Donald Trump Expects to Meet With Vladimir Putin During Asian Tour," November 4, 2017
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Yokota.AF.mil, "Trump Visits Yokota," November 5, 2017
- ↑ ABC News, "Trump, Abe bond over golf and 'Make Alliance Even Greater' hats," November 5, 2017
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 WhiteHouse.gov, "Remarks by President Trump and Prime Minister Abe of Japan in Joint Press Conference | Tokyo, Japan," November 6, 2017
- ↑ WhiteHouse.gov, "Remarks by President Trump Before Operational Briefing at Camp Humphreys," November 7, 2017
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 WhiteHouse.gov, "Remarks by President Trump and President Moon of the Republic of Korea in Joint Press Conference | Seoul, Republic of Korea," November 7, 2017
- ↑ Twitter, "Donald J. Trump," October 3, 2017
- ↑ Twitter, "Donald J. Trump," October 3, 2017
- ↑ Twitter, "Donald J. Trump," October 3, 2017
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Politico, "Trump forced to abandon secret trip to DMZ due to weather," November 7, 2017
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 WhiteHouse.gov, "Remarks by President Trump to the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea | Seoul, Republic of Korea," November 7, 2017
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 CNN, "Albright: Use all the tools with N. Korea," November 9, 2017
- ↑ Reuters, "China's Xi fetes Trump on first day of Beijing trip," November 8, 2017
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 WhiteHouse.gov, "Remarks by President Trump at Business Event with President Xi of China | Beijing, China," November 9, 2017
- ↑ The Hill, "Schumer blasts Trump for shifting blame away from China on trade," November 9, 2017
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 WhiteHouse.gov, "Remarks by President Trump and President Xi of China in Joint Press Statement | Beijing, China," November 9, 2017
- ↑ WhiteHouse.gov, "Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Sarah Sanders et al. en route Da Nang, Vietnam | 11/10/2017," November 10, 2017
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 The Wall Street Journal, "Trump, Xi Push Opposing Views on Trade," November 10, 2017
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 WhiteHouse.gov, "Remarks by President Trump in Press Gaggle Aboard Air Force One en route Hanoi, Vietnam | 11/11/2017," November 11, 2017
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 WhiteHouse.gov, "Remarks by President Trump and President Quang of Vietnam in Joint Press Conference | Hanoi, Vietnam," November 11, 2017
- ↑ ASEAN.org, "Overview," accessed November 13, 2017
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 WhiteHouse.gov, "Remarks by President Trump at 5th U.S.-ASEAN Summit," November 13, 2017
- ↑ WhiteHouse.gov, "Remarks by President Trump, Prime Minister Turnbull of Australia, and Prime Minister Abe of Japan Before Trilateral Meeting | Manila, Philippines," November 13, 2017
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 Associated Press, "Trump focuses on trade, fighting terrorism with Duterte," November 13, 2017
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Trump, Duterte Strike Up a Friendship, Sidestep Thorny Issues," November 13, 2017
| |||||||||||||||||||
