Trump to stay on to attend East Asia Summit

Nov 04, 2017 | News On Japan

Nov 04, 2017 (NHK) - US President Donald Trump says he's decided to attend the East Asia Summit in the Philippines -- a meeting he had initially planned to skip.

Trump spoke to reporters at the White House on Friday before leaving for an Asian tour. He said that he'll stay an extra day in the Philippines for a "big conference."

Trump is due to arrive in the Philippines on November 12th. His plan had been to hold a series of meetings with leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, then head home without attending the East Asia Summit on the 14th.

North Korea's nuclear and missile programs are likely to be a key topic at the summit, which involves all 10 ASEAN members, plus Japan, China and other countries.

Observers had raised concerns over the absence of a US president seeking stronger pressure on Pyongyang. They said the decision could result in raising China's regional presence and a decline in US influence.

Trump's about-face is apparently aimed at easing such concerns, and sending a message that the United States stands in unity with Asian nations.

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