Donald Trump jokes with Malcolm Turnbull at leaders summit
US President Donald Trump has thanked China and Japan for rolling out the “red carpet” for him, joked with Malcolm Turnbull about not having a trade deficit with Australia and even praised the media.
NSW
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UNITED States President Donald Trump has thanked China and Japan for rolling out the “red carpet” for him, joked with Malcolm Turnbull about not having a trade deficit with Australia and even praised the media.
North Korea’s deadly vow to develop nuclear weapons was the key point of discussion between Aussie Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, United States President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today.
It was the first meeting between the three leaders since the escalation of the North Korean crisis.
In a jovial mood at the end of his 12 day Asian tour, Mr Trump said he had struck key deals on trade with China, South Korea and “lots of other places.”
“A lot of things are happening on trade,” he said.
“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 countries including China that was $150 billion and going up very substantially.
“But we’ve made a very big progress on trade. We have (trade) deficits with almost everybody, very quickly and very substantially.”
“Except with us,” Mr Turnbull quipped.
Mr Trump replied: “You’re the only one.”
The President was in such a generous mood he even took the opportunity to praise the United States media, who have been covering his tour of Asia.
It was a rare departure from Mr Trump’s constant criticisms of the media elite and the “fake media.”
“The press, I have to tell you, I’m very impressed, you’ve stayed with us, you were able to hang in there, and I’m very proud of you,” he said to the press gathered for the trilateral.
Mr Trump said he had received the royal treatment during his time in Asia.
“It was red carpet like nobody I think nobody has ever received, perhaps for me a little bit but really for our country,” he said.
“The way they’ve treated us. The respect that Japan and China and South Korea has been a great respect to the people of our country, the people of the united states and we very much appreciate it.”
In remarks at the start of the trilateral, Mr Turnbull stressed that the focus of the meetings was trying to rein in Kim Jong-un.
“We are working very closely together. We’ve got the same values and the same focus in ensuring that the North Korean regimen comes to its senses and stops its reckless provocation and threats of conflict in our region,” Mr Turnbull said.
“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.”
Mr Abe agreed the “immediate challenge” for the region was North Korea.
“I do hope that we’re going to have a meaningful discussion particularly on the issue of North Korea to ensure regional peace and stability and also to ensure the key for us is to ensure very close trilateral co-operation so as to bring peace and stability on the ground,” he said.
Following the meeting between the three leaders, Mr Turnbull and Mr Abe met for a bilateral.
Tonight, Mr Turnbull and Mr Trump will have a one-on-one dinner together, indicating the warmth of the friendship between the two.
Their relationship got off to a rocky start with a robust phone call between the pair over Mr Trump’s unwillingness to accept Australian refugees.
A leaked transcript of that phone calls shows Mr Turnbull pressing the United States president to fulfil the commitment made by his predecessor, former United States President Barack Obama.
When explaining the deal to Mt Trump, whereby Mr Turnbull said he the President told Mr Turnbull: “You’re worse than I am.”