By Admin 
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.