Revealed to reporters aboard Air Force One
"Separation of TikTok's U.S. business, provisional approval from Xi Jinping"
"I will not meet Prime Minister Mark Carney for a while"
Donald Trump, President of the United States, is waving his hand before boarding Air Force One, his private plane bound for Japan, at Kuala Lumpur Airport in Malaysia on the 27th (local time). Photo by Reuters Yonhap News
President Donald Trump of the United States stated that he could sign the final agreement regarding the sale of TikTok's U.S. business rights to China on the 30th, when the U.S.-China summit is scheduled. He reaffirmed his intention to impose an additional 10% tariff on Canada, saying he would not meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and openly continued his overtures to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
According to Reuters, Bloomberg, and AFP on the 27th (local time), President Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, his private plane heading from Malaysia to Japan, "This agreement involves separating the U.S. business division of TikTok from China's ByteDance, and I have received 'provisional approval' from Chinese President Xi Jinping."
After his visit to Japan, President Trump will travel to Gyeongju, South Korea, for a two-day, one-night schedule. Although he will not attend the main summit event, he plans to meet with President Xi Jinping of China, who is visiting South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
Regarding the meeting with President Xi, Trump expressed confidence, saying, "We will have a very good conversation," and "I believe the deal with President Xi will be successful."
President Trump also said, "Canada has deceived us for a long time. We will not allow that to continue," adding, "I do not want to meet with the Canadian Prime Minister for a while." He did not provide specific information on the timing of the additional 10% tariff, only stating, "We will let them know."
Previously, on the 25th, President Trump expressed outrage over an 'anti-U.S. tariff' advertisement in Ontario, stating that he had no plans to meet with Prime Minister Carney. He announced his intention to completely halt trade with Canada and to impose an additional 10% tariff on the country.
Regarding the possibility of meeting with Chairman Kim Jong Un, Trump said, "If Kim Jong Un also wants to meet me, I am willing to do so," once again sending a public message that he is open to a meeting.
During this period, President Trump has expressed his willingness to meet with Chairman Kim, leading to cautious speculation about the possibility of a North Korea-U.S. summit. Both before and after this Asian tour, he has repeatedly expressed his desire to meet with Kim Jong Un.
On the 24th, aboard his private plane en route to Malaysia, when asked by reporters about the possibility of meeting Chairman Kim in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) during his visit to South Korea, Trump said, "If he reaches out, I would like to do that," and added, "The last time I met him (in June 2019), I made my visit to South Korea public on the Internet. If he wants to meet, I am definitely open." At that time, President Trump also referred to North Korea as "a kind of nuclear power" (a country possessing nuclear weapons).
Meanwhile, on the first day of his visit to Japan, the 27th, President Trump is expected to meet with Emperor Naruhito. On the 28th, he will hold his first U.S.-Japan summit with newly appointed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
