Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haas said Tuesday that President Donald Trump's trip to Japan was “ideal preparation” for Trump's upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump and newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi signed agreements to buy rare earth minerals and natural gas on Tuesday as Trump continued a weeklong trip to Asia. Haas said Trump has strengthened America's relationship with its most important ally. (RELATED: Brit Hume Says Trump 'Should Be a Candidate' for Nobel Prize)
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“It couldn't be better. Let's just take a step back. Japan is arguably the most important ally of the United States – the third-largest economy in the world, one of the most powerful militaries,” Haas, a former Bush administration official, told MSNBC host Chris Jansing. “If you want to do business successfully with China, you need Japan on your side. This, again, couldn't be better. Trade relations are going well. There are some questions about the details of Japanese investment in the United States.”
“It was really old-fashioned foreign policy and diplomacy,” Haas added. “Because the hallmark of Mr. Trump's foreign policy – President Trump's – has often been giving a heavy hand to allies. This was just the opposite. It was an embrace. So I actually… since he's going to meet with Xi Jinping in a day or two, what a great set-up for this to essentially say that the US-Japan alliance is still strong. It was very good.”
Trump signed trade agreements with Malaysia and Cambodia on Sunday and further de-escalated the conflict between Cambodia and Thailand. Frameworks for trade agreements with Vietnam and Thailand were also announced during Trump's stay in Malaysia.
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