US President Donald Trump will meet several key Asian leaders next month, including controversial President Rodrigo Duterte, on a tour otherwise dominated by efforts to isolate North Korea. Current top breaking Philippine headlines regarding the nation, world, metro manila, regions and exclusive special investigative reports.
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump will meet several key Asian leaders next month, including controversial Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, on a tour otherwise dominated by efforts to isolate North Korea. Trump’s first Asian tour as president will take him to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines, where he will attend the summit of ASEAN, the southeast Asian bloc. The United States has important trade ties in the region, but his economic agenda will be overshadowed by the major foreign policy crisis of his presidency so far: the North Korean stand-off. “The president’s travel will underscore his commitment to longstanding United States alliances and partnerships, and reaffirm United States leadership in promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” the White House said. Last month, Trump warned at the United Nations that he is prepared to “totally destroy” the Pyongyang regime if it does not give up its quest for a nuclear-armed intercontinental missile. But his military threats are backed by a dense diplomatic agenda.
