US President Donald Trump left on a tour of Asia on Friday. It is expected from this visit that it will help in reducing the increasing trade tension between America and Asia and will open the way to improve the deteriorated relations with China. Trump’s tour spans Malaysia, Japan and South Korea and is his longest foreign trip since assuming office in January.

Important discussion will be held on trade tension with China
Trump’s most important stop will be at the end of this month, when he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt said that this meeting between the two leaders could take place on Thursday. However, he did not give any detailed information on the issues discussed. It is likely that these talks will focus on reducing the ongoing trade tension between America and China. Trump has recently offered to reduce tariffs on some products coming from China, but in return he has also asked for concessions from Beijing – such as resuming purchases of American soybeans and stopping the supply of chemicals used to make fentanyl.

Taiwan issue will also be monitored
The issue of Taiwan is also likely to be included in the talks between the two leaders. There are concerns that Trump, under pressure from Xi Jinping, may adopt a soft stance on America’s support for Taiwan. Trump will also attend the ASEAN conference in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. The summit is being held at a time when the 10 countries of this regional organization exported $312 billion to the US last year – which is double that of 2017. Trump will attend the ASEAN summit for the first time since 2017 and this time the discussions will mainly focus on Vietnam and Thailand, as these two countries are the largest contributors to America’s trade deficit.

Role of ‘peace-messenger’ in Malaysia
Apart from trade, Trump’s visit to Malaysia is also considered important from diplomatic point of view. According to reports, Trump wants to see the progress of the ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia. If there are positive results on this front, then Trump can present himself as a ‘messenger of world peace’.

Less chances of meeting North Korea
Although the chances of Trump meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during this visit are very less, but according to sources, US officials had discussed the possibility of such a meeting. Trump has already met Kim three times in 2018 and 2019, but no concrete result was achieved on the nuclear program.

Immigration controversy in South Korea
The recent raid by the US Immigration Agency (ICE) on a South Korean battery factory in Georgia has sparked widespread outrage in Seoul. About 300 South Korean citizens were detained, accused of working illegally. However, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s attention is currently focused on the Gyeongju meeting with Trump, where the two leaders will discuss important issues related to trade and security.

US President Donald Trump is currently going to make his first major foreign trip of his second term. During this time he is going to visit many countries in Asia. This visit is not just formal, but is being considered a sign of America’s new strategic presence in Asia. Trump will visit Malaysia, Japan and South Korea during this tour. The most interesting thing is that during this visit, he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, on which the eyes of the whole world are fixed.

Trump is going to start the trip from Malaysia, where he is going to attend the ASEAN summit from 26 to 28 October. This is the same platform from which Trump used to maintain distance during his previous tenure, but this time he has made it a priority of his foreign policy. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has announced that a new trade agreement will be signed between the two countries. Along with this, Trump is also going to play a role in the peace initiative between Thailand and Cambodia. Malaysian media says that this is an attempt to revive Trump’s peacemaker image, which may include him in the race for the Nobel Peace Prize in the future.

There will be a historic meeting with the first woman Prime Minister in Japan

After Malaysia, Trump will reach Japan, where he will meet the country’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Takaichi is the first female Prime Minister of Japan and her appointment is being considered a symbol of change in Japanese politics. Both the leaders will discuss topics like defense cooperation and energy security. Trump indicated that the US wants Japan to reduce its dependence on Russian energy imports and contribute more to regional defense. This dialogue between Japan and America is being considered a strategic step towards balancing China’s growing influence in Asia.

Trump-Xi meeting expected in South Korea

The third and most talked about stop of Trump’s trip is going to be South Korea, where he will participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference. It is here that the discussion about his possible meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping is in full swing. If this meeting takes place, it will be considered a major turning point towards calming the US-China trade war. Trump said he looked forward to constructive talks with Xi Jinping and also indicated that China could mediate the peace process between Russia and Ukraine if it wishes. However, the White House has also clarified that the meeting has not been confirmed yet, which shows that the tension between the two countries is still not completely over.

North Korea’s missile challenge and respect for Trump
Just before Trump’s visit, North Korea tested new ballistic missiles, which once again heated up the security environment. Despite this, the South Korean government has announced that it is considering awarding Trump the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, the country’s highest civilian honor. Trump may also meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during this visit, although no formal announcement has been made on this.

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