MANILA: US President Donald Trump on Monday affirmed Washington’s commitment to forging closer ties with Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines.
This made clear America’s position on issues affecting the region, particularly concerning security, trade and economy.
Trump is on a three-day visit in Manila to attend the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Meetings on Nov. 13-14.
The US president had a bilateral meeting on Sunday with Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte. He also attended the 5th US-ASEAN Summit Commemoration and the 40th-anniversary ASEAN-US dialogue relations.
During their talk, Trump and Duterte affirmed the strong relationship between the Philippines and the US, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said. It was the first formal meeting between the two heads of state since they assumed office last year.
Roque said Duterte, however, did acknowledge that there were very sour points in the relationship. “And the sour points were statements made by former President (Barack) Obama on the administration of President Duterte. I think President Trump addressed this by reassuring the Philippine president that he has always been an ally of the Philippine president since he was elected into office.”
In the 40-minute discussion, the human rights issue was not raised, Roque said. But it was Duterte who brought up the subject of the drug menace in the Philippines.
“The US president appeared sympathetic and did not have any official position on the matter but was merely nodding his head, indicating that he understood the domestic problem that we face on drugs,” Roque said.
Duterte likewise thanked Trump for the US assistance in quelling the five-month Marawi conflict. The Philippine president made it clear that dealing with terrorism and violent extremism is among the government’s priorities.
On the economy, the Philippines expressed appreciation of the Generalized System of Preferences and suggested that the free- trade agreement also be concluded between the US and the Philippines. Roque said the US observed that the Business Process Outsourcing industry had become very important in the Philippines, promising to find ways to reduce the trade surplus between the two nations.
He added that the US would try to work out something to reduce the deficit of trade between the Philippines and China.
On improving trade relations, Roque said President Trump singled out the issue of tariffs being imposed on US automobiles while such tariffs are not being imposed on Japanese cars.
The Palace official described the meeting between the two leaders as “frank.”
“President Trump specifically said that he has always been a friend of the Duterte administration unlike the previous administrations of the United States,” he added.
Meanwhile, during the US-ASEAN Summit, Trump said Washington remained committed to ASEAN’s central role as a regional forum for total cooperation.
He said the diplomatic partnership would become the vehicle for advancing the security and prosperity of Americans and Indo-Pacific nations.
Trump noted that nations in the region had built strong societies, robust economies, and vibrant communities over several decades.
The US president said his country had been moving ahead brilliantly on an economic basis since the US elections in November last year. He said America’s better economic development benefits the ASEAN as a region.
“So we want our partners in the region to be strong, independent and prosperous. In control of their own destinies and satellites to no one. These are the principles behind our vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Trump said.
Trump affirms US ties with Philippines, ASEAN
Trump affirms US ties with Philippines, ASEAN
Trump discussing how to acquire Greenland; US military always an option, White House says
- Greenland has repeatedly said it does not want to be part of the United States
- Strong statements in support of Greenland from NATO leaders have not deterred Trump
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump and his team are discussing options for acquiring Greenland and the use of the US military in furtherance of the goal is “always an option,” the White House said on Tuesday.
Trump’s ambition of acquiring Greenland as a strategic US hub in the Arctic, where there is growing interest from Russia and China, has been revived in recent days in the wake of the US arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Greenland has repeatedly said it does not want to be part of the United States.
The White House said in a statement in response to queries from Reuters that Trump sees acquiring Greenland as a US national security priority necessary to “deter our adversaries in the Arctic region.”
“The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the US military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal,” the White House said.
A senior US official said discussions about ways to acquire Greenland are active in the Oval Office and that advisers are discussing a variety of options.
Strong statements in support of Greenland from NATO leaders have not deterred Trump, the official said.
“It’s not going away,” the official said about the president’s drive to acquire Greenland during his remaining three years in office.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said options include the outright US purchase of Greenland or forming a Compact of Free Association with the territory. A COFA agreement would stop short of Trump’s ambition to make the island of 57,000 people a part of the US.
A potential purchase price was not provided.
“Diplomacy is always the president’s first option with anything, and dealmaking. He loves deals. So if a good deal can be struck to acquire Greenland, that would definitely be his first instinct,” the official said.
Administration officials argue the island is crucial to the US due to its deposits of minerals with important high-tech and military applications. These resources remain untapped due to labor shortages, scarce infrastructure and other challenges.
Leaders from major European powers and Canada rallied behind Greenland on Tuesday, saying the Arctic island belongs to its people.
