TRUMP ON TRADE
MANILA: President Donald Trump has wrapped up his tour of Asia, declaring all countries that trade with the US ‘‘know that the rules have changed’’.
‘‘The United States has to be treated fairly and in a reciprocal fashion,’’ Trump tweeted from Manila, the final stop before he arrives back in Washington today. ‘‘The massive TRADE deficits must go down quickly!’’
It was a theme Trump stressed repeatedly throughout a nearly twoweek trip through Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Trump insists multibilliondollar deficits that favour US trading partners will be reduced to zero and trade overall must be fair and mutually beneficial.
He commented shortly after arriving at his third and final summit of the trip, the annual East Asia Summit. He attended a gathering of Asean on Monday.
Among Trump’s newest friends in the region is Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, whom Trump repeatedly praised and joked around with on Monday. Duterte has overseen a bloody crackdown on domestic drug dealing that has featured extrajudicial killings, earning him scorn from human rights advocates.
Trump jointly met Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who hosted the President in Tokyo earlier in the trip.
Trump raved about his accomplishments on his fivenation journey, particularly on trade and North Korea, which the White House has suggested may be designated a state sponsor of terror.
Trump said he would wait until he was in Washington tomorrow to elaborate with a ‘‘major state ment’’ on those two topics, but hinted at progress while in Manila.
Trump said the trip had been ‘‘very fruitful’’ for the United States and pointed to the warm welcomes he received in capitals like Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing.
‘‘It was red carpet like nobody, I think, has probably ever received,’’ Trump said. ‘‘And that really is a sign of respect, perhaps for me a little, but really for our country. And I’m really proud of that.’’