(Washington) Donald Trump begins a major tour of Asia at the end of the week, which will be marked by a highly anticipated meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, which has major implications for the world economy.
The American president announced on Wednesday a “major trip” to Malaysia, Japan and South Korea for his first trip to the region since his return to power in January.
Donald Trump will leave Washington on Friday at 10:40 p.m. for Kuala Lumpur where he will participate in the ASEAN summit – which he snubbed several times during his first term, scheduled for October 26-28.
The White House provided details on Donald Trump’s program on Thursday, notably confirming a meeting with his Chinese counterpart. It will take place Thursday, October 30, in South Korea, on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
The American president had left doubts about the holding of this meeting against a backdrop of trade tensions. However, he said he expected to conclude a “good” agreement between the two largest economies on the planet.
China and the United States are also expected to hold new trade talks in the coming days in Malaysia, which is hosting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit starting Sunday in Kuala Lumpur, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.
All host countries should roll out the red carpet for Donald Trump to try to curry his favor and obtain the best possible agreements in terms of customs duties and security guarantees.
“Frank discussions”
In Kuala Lumpur, President Trump is expected to conclude a trade deal with Malaysia and, most importantly, witness the signing of a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia.
After a conflict lasting several days, the two neighbors concluded a ceasefire on July 29, following an intervention by Donald Trump.
A meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is also planned during this summit.
The two leaders began to iron out their differences after months of tensions linked primarily to the trial and conviction of former far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, an ally of the White House tenant.
Donald Trump will then travel to Japan on Monday where he will meet the next day the nationalist Sanae Takaichi, who this week became the first woman to take over as head of the Japanese government. The latter said she wanted “frank discussions” with the American president.
Tokyo signed a trade agreement with Washington this summer, but certain details remain to be discussed.
The American president also wants Japan to stop importing Russian energy and increase its defense spending.
“All topics”
But the highlight of the tour will take place in South Korea, where Donald Trump is expected from October 29 for APEC, on the sidelines of which he will have a meeting with Xi Jinping in Gyeongju.
PHOTO XINHUA NEWS AGENCY, ARCHIVES PROVIDED BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chinese President Xi Jinping
Donald Trump said on Wednesday he hoped to reach an agreement with the Chinese president on “all subjects”.
However, the meeting should not constitute “an inflection point” in the relationship between the two leaders, predicted to AFP Ryan Hass, researcher at the American think tank Brookings.
The US president will also meet his South Korean counterpart Lee Jae Myung, deliver a speech to businessmen and attend an APEC leaders’ dinner, according to the White House.
North Korea, which fired several ballistic missiles on Wednesday, will also be on the agenda.
Donald Trump said he hoped to see North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, possibly this year, after three summits during his first term.
There is a “considerable” chance that Trump will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his visit, South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said.
But the White House has not confirmed reports that a new meeting would be planned during this trip.
