Trump goes to Philippines

Trilateral meet w/PM Abe & MP TurnbullU.S. ASEAN SummitBilateral Meet w/PM ModiStatement after 12th East Asia Summit

November 13, 2017
Remarks by President Trump, Prime Minister Turnbull of Australia, and Prime Minister Abe of Japan Before Trilateral Meeting | Manila, Philippines
Sofitel Philippine Plaza
Manila, Philippines
11:10 A.M. PHT

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. It’s great to be with Prime Minister Turnbull and Prime Minister Abe of Australia and of Japan. You know them well; I know them well.

We’ve had many meetings. We’re having another one right now, primarily focused on trade, North Korea, other subjects. But we’re very far along. The dialogue has been very good, I think, for all countries. And we look forward to the continuation of that dialogue.

Mr. Prime Minister, would you like to say something?

PRIME MINISTER TURNBULL: Thank you, Mr. President. It is great to be with you and Prime Minister Abe. We’re working very closely together. We’ve got the same values and the same focus on ensuring that the North Korean regime comes to its senses and stops its reckless provocation and threats of conflict in our region.

Peace and stability have underpinned the prosperity of billions of people over many decades, and we’re going to work together to ensure we maintain it.

PRIME MINISTER ABE: (As interpreted.) So for three of us, the immediate challenge is the issue of North Korea. And also, three very close partners with each other — Japan, the United States, and Australia — share fundamental values, as well as strategic interest.

So I do hope that we are going to have a meaningful discussion, particularly on the issue of North Korea so as to ensure regional peace and stability.

And also, I think the key for us is to ensure very close trilateral cooperation so as to bring peace and stability on the ground. So I do look forward to having a very productive discussion with the two leaders.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: In addition, a lot of things are happening on trade. And I’ll be announcing pretty much what happened here, and also with other meetings, including China and South Korea and lots of other places. We’ll be announcing that, for the most part, in a statement. I’ll make it from the White House, as opposed to from here. We’ll probably do that on Wednesday. We’ll give you a chance to sleep. Because the press, I have to tell you, I’m very impressed — you’ve stayed with us. You were able to hang in there. I’m very proud of you. (Laughter.) But it’s not finished. Steve, it’s not finished. You have one day left.

Q (Inaudible.)

PRESIDENT TRUMP: But see, we care for you. So we’ll be making —

Q Mr. President —

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Excuse me, we’ll be making a statement when we get back from the White House sometime during Wednesday. And it will be a very complete statement as to trade, as to North Korea, as to a lot of other things.

We’ve made some very big steps with respect to trade, far bigger than anything you know, in addition to about $300 billion in sales to various companies, including China — that was $250 billion and going up very substantially from that.

But we’ve made a lot of big progress on trade. We have deficits with almost everybody. Those deficits are going to be cut very quickly and very substantially.

PRIME MINISTER TURNBULL: Except us. (Laughter.)

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Except with you. You’re the only one. (Laughter.) And if I check it, I’ll probably find out that was —

PRIME MINISTER TURNBULL: Oh, no. It’s real.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: So we’ll be making a major statement on Wednesday. And this has been a very fruitful trip for us and, also, in all fairness, for a lot of other nations. The way they’ve treated us, the respect that Japan and China and South Korea, in particular — because we went there — have treated us has been really a great respect for the people of our country, the people of the United States.

And we very much appreciate it, I will say that. It was red carpet like nobody, I think, has probably ever received. And that really is a sign of respect, perhaps, for me a little bit, but really for our country. And I’m very proud that.

So we’ll be making a statement on Wednesday. Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you very much.

END

11:15 A.M. PHT

November 13, 2017
Remarks by President Trump at 5th U.S.-ASEAN Summit
Philippine International Convention Center
Manila, Philippines
2:57 P.M. PHT

PRESIDENT TRUMP: President Duterte, distinguished leaders, friends and partners: I’m honored to represent the United States of America at this U.S.-ASEAN Commemorative Summit. We gather today at a time of great promise and great challenge.

I speak to you on behalf of 350 million Americans with a message of friendship and partnership. I’m here to advance peace, to promote security, and to work with you to achieve a truly free and open Indo-Pacific, where we are proud and we have sovereign nations, and we thrive, and everybody wants to prosper.

This year we mark 40 years of friendship and cooperation between the United States and this organization. It’s a long time. I also want to congratulate ASEAN on 50 years of promoting peace and prosperity and stability in Southeast Asia and in the broader Indo-Pacific region.

Rodrigo, I would like to commend you on your success as ASEAN chair at this very critical moment in time and in the association’s history — such an important event. And I want to thank you for your incredible hospitality.

And the show last night, the talent at that show — I assume mostly from the Philippines — was fantastic. Thank you. And you were fantastic, also, very much, from the Philippines. (Applause.) We couldn’t tell the difference. (Laughter.)

I send the people of the Philippines warm greetings from the people of the United States.

I also want to thank Prime Minister Najib of Malaysia for the excellent job you’ve done as coordinator, and I appreciate it very much. I really appreciate it. You have coordinated so well with us.

For five decades, this organization has brought together a vital assembly of nations to build consensus on critical issues facing the region and the world. You have created a forum for all nations with a stake in the Indo-Pacific to listen, learn, and develop solutions to common challenges through strategic dialogue.

The United States remains committed to ASEAN’s central role as a regional forum for total cooperation. This diplomatic partnership advances the security and prosperity of the American people and the people of all Indo-Pacific nations.

In recent decades, nations across the region have built strong societies, robust economies, and vibrant communities of citizens. Really proud — totally proud, always — of their heritage, and confident in who they are.

Today, we celebrate your incredible success, and we also seek economic partnerships on the basis of fairness and reciprocity. As the world knows, the United States, since our election on November 8th, has been moving ahead really brilliantly on an economic basis. We have the highest stock market we’ve ever had. We have the lowest unemployment in 17 years. The value of stocks has risen $5.5 trillion.

And companies are moving into the United States. A lot of companies are moving. They’re moving back. They want to be there. The enthusiasm levels are the highest ever recorded on the charts. So we’re very happy about that, and we think that bodes very well for your region because of the relationship that we have.

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.

So again, I wish you all the best of luck. It’s an honor to be here. And, Rodrigo, thank you very much for the way you treated all of us. Thank you. (Applause.)

END

3:02 P.M. PHT

November 13, 2017
Remarks by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi of India Before Bilateral Meeting | Manila, Philippines
Sofitel Philippine Plaza
Manila, Philippines
4:36 P.M. PHT

PRESIDENT TRUMP: It’s great to have Prime Minister Modi here. We’ve had him at the White House, and he’s become a friend of ours and a great gentleman doing a fantastic job in bringing around lots of factions in India — bringing them all together. That’s what I hear, and that’s good news. And it really is. It’s a lot of good reports coming out of India. So I want to congratulate you.

But it’s an honor to be with you. We’re rounding the turn for our last couple of stops. I have a couple of more today. And then tomorrow we have the conference, and then we leave at about three o’clock.

And it’s been a great 12 days. We’ve had 12 days — I don’t know how many days have you had there. How long —

PRIME MINISTER MODI: (Inaudible.)

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, we’ve been doing this for 12 days, and we’ve really enjoyed it. And a lot of great things have happened for our country and, I think, for the world. A lot of elements were solved or in the process of being solved.

But it’s a great honor to be with you, Mr. Prime Minister. Thank you. Thank you very much.

PRIME MINISTER MODI: (As interpreted.) Well, Mr. President, I’m indeed very happy to have this opportunity once again to meet you. The relations between India and the United States are growing very rapidly with a great deal of speed. And they’re getting deeper and very comprehensive.

And I also feel that and that these relations between India and the U.S., they are not just for our mutual interests, but they go much beyond that. And we are working together for the interest of the future of Asia and for humanity as a whole in the world. And there are many areas where we are working together and we can work together in the future, too.

And in the past few days, wherever President Trump has traveled and whenever an opportunity arose to talk about India, he has expressed very high opinion about India and also things which are full of hope whenever he has spoken about India.

And I would like to assure you that whatever the expectations are of the world, of the United States, from India, India has always worked and made efforts to do our bit and to fulfill those expectations. And we will continue to do so in the future, too.

Once again, let me express my gratitude to President Trump for this meeting.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. Thank you.

END

4:40 P.M. PHT