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