Vice President Mike Pence kicked off his Asia trip Tuesday, appearing alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo to praise the bilateral relationship between…
Vice President Mike Pence kicked off his Asia trip Tuesday, appearing alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo to praise the bilateral relationship between the U. S. and Japan.
The “U. S.–Japan alliance is the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” Pence said during a joint news conference.
“Our nations’ security and prosperity depend on this vital region, and the U. S. will continue to ensure that all nations, large and small, can thrive and prosper,” he added, the Japan Time reported.
Pence, according to the outlet, echoed President Trump ’s sharp rhetoric on trade with Japan, stating that “American products and services too often face barriers to compete fairly in Japanese markets.”
“The best opportunity for free, fair and reciprocal trade will come in a bilateral trade agreement,” he added, praising Abe for « Japan’s renewed investment in America.”
Trump has long claimed the U. S. faces trade imbalances from Japan. The president, shortly after entering the White House, pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
