Trump to Asia: Unite on North Korea, but Go It Alone on Trade
- 6 years ago
Trump to Asia: Unite on North Korea, but Go It Alone on Trade
that For Trump to come with an ‘America First’ agenda leaves Asian leaders in the lurch.
11, 2017
DANANG, Vietnam — President Trump has issued two starkly contradictory calls on his trip to Asia this past week: The nations of the world must rally behind the United States to confront the nuclear threat from North Korea,
but they should expect America to go its own way on trade.
"There is no place like home," he told Pacific Rim leaders, warning them that the United States would never again sign a regionwide trade agreement.
But if Mr. Trump’s stops in Northeast Asia were aimed at building a coalition against North Korea, his swing through Southeast Asia seemed calculated to remind people
that he has little use for the post-World War II concept of the United States as global leader.
They must have been one of the beneficiaries." Administration officials framed the speech as a chance for Mr. Trump to promote a "free and open Indo-Pacific," which the White House has embraced as its answer to Mr. Obama’s "Asia pivot."
But the president put little meat on the bones, emphasizing the sovereignty and independence of nations over common interests or universal rights.
Mr. Sifton said that When he talks about trade in those terms, it suggests
that he doesn’t hold the multilateral legal system in very high regard — and that’s frightening.
bring progress, and those who close down will inevitably lag behind." In the absence of an alternative sales
pitch from the United States, experts said, China will inevitably make further gains. that Opening up will
Mr. Trump’s encounters with leaders have been harmonious — even leaders, like President Moon Jae-in of South Korea, with whom he has differences.
that For Trump to come with an ‘America First’ agenda leaves Asian leaders in the lurch.
11, 2017
DANANG, Vietnam — President Trump has issued two starkly contradictory calls on his trip to Asia this past week: The nations of the world must rally behind the United States to confront the nuclear threat from North Korea,
but they should expect America to go its own way on trade.
"There is no place like home," he told Pacific Rim leaders, warning them that the United States would never again sign a regionwide trade agreement.
But if Mr. Trump’s stops in Northeast Asia were aimed at building a coalition against North Korea, his swing through Southeast Asia seemed calculated to remind people
that he has little use for the post-World War II concept of the United States as global leader.
They must have been one of the beneficiaries." Administration officials framed the speech as a chance for Mr. Trump to promote a "free and open Indo-Pacific," which the White House has embraced as its answer to Mr. Obama’s "Asia pivot."
But the president put little meat on the bones, emphasizing the sovereignty and independence of nations over common interests or universal rights.
Mr. Sifton said that When he talks about trade in those terms, it suggests
that he doesn’t hold the multilateral legal system in very high regard — and that’s frightening.
bring progress, and those who close down will inevitably lag behind." In the absence of an alternative sales
pitch from the United States, experts said, China will inevitably make further gains. that Opening up will
Mr. Trump’s encounters with leaders have been harmonious — even leaders, like President Moon Jae-in of South Korea, with whom he has differences.