Japan PM Abe seeks to build trust with Trump, stresses alliance vital

By David Brunnstrom and Linda SiegNovember 17, 2016

ricky l

13 seconds ago

NEW YORK - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he was confident of building trust with US President-elect Donald Trump, following their first meeting which he described as "candid", adding that they would meet again for "wider and deeper" talks in the near future.

PM Abe was the first foreign leader to meet Mr Trump since the tycoon won the US presidential election on Nov 8.

Mr Abe said they discussed various issues during the 90-minute meeting at Trump Tower in Manhattan, but he declined to reveal the details.
----

Based on the response of the meeting, look like the President-elect Donald Trump will increasingly lean on the pragmatic side of governing USA and moving away from the terrifying rhetoric in the campaign.

Also 2 important issues bother Japan.

(1) Security
(2) Trade

Based on the happy response from PM Abe, it look like TPP or a modified form of trade deal is possible with US.

This will spell good for free trade with the TPP members and the World in general.
It means under Donald Trump, the principle of free trade to create wealth has not been abandon.

But baring no official announcement on the news of free trade, everyone will still have to wait for the policy statement from Donald Trump Administration.

Meanwhile everyone have to wait and hopefully, good news on free trade will be coming from the Donald Trump Administration.

And most important for Donald Trump to succeed, appointment of good men and women with pragmatic policies to create wealth, prosperity and peace into the White House is extremely important.

• 

  ricky l

  10 seconds ago

  On security front, if Japan is forced to militarise because US seek to withdraw its security protection, Japan may seek to develop its nuclear capabilities.
  
  This will be against the interest of China.
  
  Thus remaining status quo in security arrangement will still be the best in Asia Pacific region - even for China.
• • 

    ricky l

    11 seconds ago

    Engaging the West as well as the East in trade - is especially important to prevent 2 competing Blocs from emerging - that will have a potential to become confrontational without the lubricants of trade.
    
    WW2 breakout because there is no free trade among the Countries - that tie one another wealth, prosperity, finance and fate with one another.
    
    Without trade, there will be no Win-Win outcome.
    
    Thus Win-lose outcome and lose-lose outcome will emerge - and East and West Bloc - will become increasingly confrontational when interests are infringed - leading to WW3.
    
    With trade, business, investment, travel etc ---- Win-Win outcome will emerged - and there are less likely to undertake confrontational stance between East and West --- because it will harm the interest of both East and West Blocs.
    
    Thus to us, TPP or similar trade deals driven by US and the West is important to us.
    
    RCEP or similar trade deals driven by China and the Asia-Pacific Countries is also important to us.
    
    And China-US, China-EU trade deals are also important.
    
    All the above will ensure World Peace, Prospeity, and Wealth - because they are Win-Win outcome --- that will prevent regional war and even WW3 from breaking out.
  • • 

      ricky l

      now

      So Trade, business, investment, travel etc will have achieve 2 important objectives :-
      (1) Create Wealth and Prosperity
      (2) Preserve Peace and Prevent War.
    • • 

        ricky l

        now

        At the same time, Trade, business, investment, travel etc - is the only way to preserve influence, projecting influence - not only for big Countries, also for small Countries.

      • China state media warn Trump against renouncing free trade deals

        • Posted 19 Nov 2016 17:30
        

        U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo

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        SHANGHAI: Chinese state media warned U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday against flip-flopping on trade deals in Asia, as Asia-Pacific leaders gathered for a summit amid fears that growing protectionism will stunt global economic growth.

        During the raucous election campaign, Trump fuelled concerns among many of the United States' trading partners by pledging to renegotiate trade accords such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and impose tariffs on imports from countries such as China.

        "Turning his trade-bashing campaign talks into actual policies could bash any hope that the Asia-Pacific will finally have its much-wanted free trade deal," said a commentary in the official Xinhua news agency on Saturday.

        "Worse, it could drag his country and the wider world into deeper economic distress," added the agency, which is a barometer of government thinking.

        Xinhua also said that the exclusion of China from the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement was not about boosting trade and instead was U.S. President Barack Obama's strategy to make sure Washington "rules supreme in the region."

        Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Pacific Rim leaders are meeting at the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Peru this weekend.

        Though Obama championed the TPP as a way to counter China's rise, his administration has now stopped trying to win congressional approval for the deal that was signed by 12 economies in the Americas and Asia-Pacific, but excluded China. Without U.S. approval the agreement as currently negotiated cannot come to fruition.

        China's Xi is selling an alternate vision for regional trade by promoting the Beijing-backed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which as it stands excludes the Americas.

        Chinese state media has warned Trump against isolationism and interventionism, calling instead for the United States to actively work with China to maintain the international status quo.

        "The billionaire-turned-politician needs to prove that derailing the global economy has not been one of the reasons why he ran for U.S. president," Xinhua said.

        (Reporting by Engen Tham; Editing by Kim Coghill)
        - Reuters