'Transactional diplomacy' expected as Trump sets to kick off 'dramatic' Asia trip, analyst says

When U.S. President Donald Trump’s last visit Asia in June 2019, he joined a summit with G20 leaders in Japan, visited South Korea and became the first U.S. leader to step onto North Korea soil at the demilitarized zone (DMZ).

AI Brief

Trump's first post-reelection visit includes Japan, South Korea and Malaysia, with key meetings at the APEC Summit.
The US President may meet Xi Jinping to ease trade tensions and maintain Taiwan Strait stability while exploring peace talks with North Korea.
Malaysia hosts ASEAN talks and a potential Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire, as Japan prepares trade offers for Trump's visit.

In a highly anticipated Asia trip later this month, Trump is expected to retrace his footsteps in Japan and South Korea, where he will be joined by leaders of APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) countries.

This would be Trump’s first visit to Asia since he was re-elected to the office.

Expert said Trump’s visit is going to be ‘dramatic’, where he is likely to conduct many bilateral with allies in the region, include a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sideline of APEC Summit in South Korea.

"The APEC members would be very happy if President Xi and President Trump were able to have a bilateral meeting,” said Stephen Nagy, a Tokyo-based professor of Politics and International Studies at International Christian University. He added that a ‘short-term pause’ could be reach.

Earlier this week Trump had said he expects to reach a fair trade deal with China and downplayed risks of a clash over the issue of Taiwan.

Democratic Taiwan, a global leader in semiconductor industry, has over the past five years or so faced ramped up military and political pressure from China, which views the separately governed island as its "sacred" territory. Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.

Nagy said Trump will most likely maintain Taiwan Strait status quo and stay ambiguous on the issue.

While in South Korea, U.S. officials are considering, but never confirmed a trip to the DMZ separating the two Koreas, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

South Korea has suspended tours of the Joint Security Area (JSA) at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom until early November, but has not confirmed any plans for a meeting with Kim.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Trump have discussed the idea of trying to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un when the American president visits the South, but Pyongyang has not publicly responded to the idea.

Trump will also meet Japan’s first female prime minister Sanae Takichi, who was formally elected this week. Trade and security expect to be top of agenda.

Two sources told Reuters that Takaichi’s team is finalising a purchase package including U.S. pickups, soybeans and gas, to present to Trump.

Trump will begin his Asia trip in Malaysia, where he will meet 10-member regional bloc ASEAN and a ceasefire deal between Thailand and Cambodia might be reached.