President Donald Trump headed to Asia for the first time this term, a trip in which he is expected to work on investment deals and peace efforts before meeting face-to-face with the Chinese president. Xi Jinping to try to reduce the tension trade war.
“We have a lot to talk to President Xi about, and he has a lot to talk to us about,” Trump told reporters Friday night as he left the White House. “I think we’ll have a good meeting.”
Aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump told reporters that he may be discussing his Russian oil purchases with Xi. He said China is substantially cutting its future purchases after the United States imposed sanctions on Moscow’s two largest oil companies. Chinese national oil companies will refrain, at least in the short term, from buying Russian oil. Reuters reported last week.
Asked what he hopes to achieve by meeting with China, the president said: “I think a complete agreement.”
“I want our farmers taken care of, and he wants things too. We’re going to talk about fentanyl,” Trump said Saturday. “I think we have a very good chance of reaching a very comprehensive agreement.”
The president will have a long-haul flight to Malaysia on Sunday morning, the first leg of a three-nation visit.
During a refueling stop in Qatar, Trump met with the country’s emir and prime minister on Saturday aboard Air Force One. Qatar’s emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, said that as soon as he learned the president was coming to Qatar, he wanted to have a conversation.
Trump thanked Emir and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani for bringing “peace to the Middle East,” after they served as intermediaries during the Peace agreement between Israel and Hamascalling them a “great ally.”
Your journey occurs as US Government Shutdown is prolonged. Many federal workers will lose their first full paycheck this week, there are flight disruptions as already-strained air traffic controllers work without pay, and states face the possibility of federal food aid running out. As Republicans reject Democratic demands to extend health care tax credits, there is no sign of a way out of the impasse. But Trump himself appears to be maintaining the usual approach, even as he embarks on this latest trip abroad.
“America is shut down and the president is leaving town,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York.
Trump’s first stop is a regional summit in Kuala Lumpur. Trump attended the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit only once during his first term, but this year it comes as Malaysia and the United States have been working to address a skirmish between Thailand and Cambodia.
He is scheduled to meet with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday, followed by a joint signing ceremony with the prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia.
“I am on my way to Malaysia, where I will sign the great Peace Agreement, which I proudly negotiated between Cambodia and Thailand,” Trump said Saturday in a Truth Social post. He also sent his condolences to the people of Thailand following the death of Queen Mother Sirikit.
“I will see your wonderful Prime Minister when we land. In order to accommodate everyone at this important event, we will sign the Peace Agreement immediately upon our arrival,” he said.
Trump threatened earlier this year to suspend trade deals with the countries if they did not stop fighting, and his administration has since been working with Malaysia to hammer out an expanded ceasefire.
From there, Trump heads to Japan and South Korea, where he is expected to advance talks for at least $900 billion in investments for American factories and other projects those countries committed to in exchange for easing Trump’s plans. tariff rates from 25% to 15%.
The trip to Tokyo comes a week after Japan elected its first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. Trump will meet with Takaichi, a protégé of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Trump was close to Abe, who was assassinated after leaving office.
Trump said Takaichi’s relationship with Abe was “a good sign” and “I look forward to meeting her.”
While there, Trump is expected to be greeted by Japanese Emperor Naruhito and meet with American troops that are stationed in Japan, according to a senior U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity about the planned trip.
In South Korea, Trump is expected to hold a long awaited meeting with China’s Xi on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
While the APEC summit will be held in Gyeongju, the Trump-Xi meeting is expected to take place in the city of Busan, according to the US official.
The meeting comes after months of volatile movements in a trade war between China and the United States that have shaken the global economy.
