The White House provided a background presser for information about President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump’s upcoming state visit to Japan.  [Transcript below] There are some interesting aspects to the itinerary as outlined; however, first, it’s important to emphasize the context.
As CTH shared earlier: At the highest levels of finance and business; in a process within both private industry and the geopolitical realm of government; a key aspect to every long-term strategic reset is the formation of an alliance.  Every successful titan of industry who has structurally changed history has influenced an alliance toward the effort.

I strongly suspect, in anticipation of the China confrontation; and considering the scale of the consequences therein; President Trump selected Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as the center of an Indo-Pacific alliance (several years ago).  With the knowledge of USTR Lighthizer heading to Japan with an advance trade team…. now consider:

Via Teleconference – 2:31 P.M. EDT – PRESS OFFICER: Good afternoon, everybody. I’m happy you all could join. We have with us today [senior administration official]. He’ll be providing some brief remarks about the President’s upcoming trip to Japan and a few Q&A afterwards. This will be on background and you can attribute what he says to a senior administration official.

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In a clear signal toward the trade conflict with the United States, Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping is preparing his nation for a protracted trade conflict. Chinese state-run media have been deploying propaganda to shift public opinion toward the U.S. as a direct threat, and the latest developments by Xi showcase that agenda.

(South China Post) Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for the nation to embark on a new Long March and “start all over again”, in the most dramatic sign to date that Beijing has given up hope of reaching a trade deal with the United States in the near term.
Xi is in Jiangxi province for his first domestic tour since the escalation of the trade war two weeks ago. Jiangxi is where China’s defeated Red Army started its fabled Long March in 1934, and Xi’s choice of destination is being viewed as an effort to invoke a spirit of endurance and to rally public spirit amid rising tensions with Washington.

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Steve Bannon appears on Fox Business news to discuss his new label as global “demon” to Beijing for Bannon’s strategic opposition to the rise of Chinese dragonomics.

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Mr. Bannon is correct in outlining President Trump’s long term strategy to break the global supply chain and reset structural trade priorities.  There’s a reason why President Trump pours vociferous praise on Xi Jinping while simultaneously executing the most brilliant geopolitical economic reset in history.  President Trump is mirroring Beijing’s approach, a panda mask that hides the dragon…
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Louisiana congressional representative and house minority whip Steve Scalise discusses current trade and economic initiatives from President Trump’s agenda.  Representative Scalise outlines the importance of the challenge to China and the benefits within the USMCA agreement.
Beyond the economics, Scalise notes the recent report about running for Louisiana governor stemmed from a short, off-the-cuff, conversation with President Trump and he dismisses the seriousness of the discussion.

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Last month President Trump accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for a state visit to Japan May 25th through 28th. The Japanese government is honoring President Trump as the first state guest of the Reiwa Era, introduced with the coronation of Emperor Naruhito.
The official visit itinerary will include the first formal state banquet hosted by the Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako.  The visit is a big honor intended to convey the importance of the relationship between the U.S. and Japan.

Today Reuters is reporting that U.S. Trade Ambassador Robert Lighthizer will be heading to Japan (in advance of President Trump), to meet with Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.  It seems there’s a possibility Trump and Abe have something planned….

(Reuters) – U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will visit Japan on May 24 to meet Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi to accelerate trade talks ahead of a leaders’ summit a few days later, two sources with direct knowledge of the plan said on Monday.
After a late-April meeting between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump had said it was possible for the two allies to reach a new bilateral trade deal by the time he visits Tokyo in late May.

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President Trump gave a lengthy interview to Steve Hilton on a variety of topics.

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Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has to be the coolest cat in the crew. On May 15th at 6:00pm Ross blacklists Chinese Company Huawei, requiring Commerce Dept. licensing prior to any “American technology transferring to a company or person on the Entity List.” An hour later… Wilbur Ross is chillin’ in the East Room at a black tie dinner:

President Trump […] … And Wilbur had a very big day today. You probably have read about it. It came out at about 6 o’clock in the evening. So, we’re surprised to see you here, Wilbur. You should be working right now, Wilbur — (laughter) — wherever you are. (link)

The Chinese communists hate U.S.T.R. Lighthizer, but I bet they tremble more over Ross.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Alphabet Inc’s Google has suspended business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware, software and technical services except those publicly available via open source licensing, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday, in a blow to the Chinese technology company that the U.S. government has sought to blacklist around the world.

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Notice how Wallace never interrupts a Wall Street Decepticon?   Senator Pat Toomey (U-CoC) and swamp gatekeeper Chris Wallace discuss tariffs on China, the immigration crisis and a possible threat from Iran.

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Michigan Republican Congressman Justin Amash made headlines Saturday by declaring on Twitter that President Trump deserved impeachment.  The media was quick to promote his position and advance an anti-Trump narrative.  However, a review of Amash’s financial interests quickly reveals a very personal business motive.  His family tool business is heavily invested in Chinese manufacturing.

In his 2017 financial disclosure forms (pdf here), Representative Amash reports income of between $100,000 to $1,000,000/yr. for his ownership stake in Michigan Industrial Tools.  Michigan Industrial Tools is the parent company, manufacturing in China, that produces Tekton Tools, Justin Amash’s Michigan family business.

According to an earlier Michigan article “Amash is a co-owner of Dynamic Source International, a Chinese company that supplies Michigan Industrial Tools.”  A visit to the website of Dynamic Source International (link) shows the company operates “manufacturing and factory facilities located in Hangzhou, capital city of Zhejiang Province”, China.
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Further evidence there will be no further engagement with China surfaces in an announced specific shift in directive from President Trump today focusing Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and USTR Lighthizer on a sector, not a specific nation.
The auto industry is the key sector on two specific trade fronts: the EU trade reset and the ongoing negotiations with Japan.  Both trade agreements center heavily on the auto-sector; and both Japan and the EU have cemented intransigent trade positions.

Enter President Trump to cut the Gordian knot.
It’s a small but important note that President Trump had previously assigned geographic trade responsibilities.  Wilbur Ross has the EU as his primary focus and Robert Lighthizer has authority over Asia.  Today the White House connects the objective of both Ross and Lighthizer as President Trump instructs the U.S. Trade Representative to engage in discussions around the specifics of the auto-sector:

White House – […] Following an extensive review of the Department of Commerce’s Section 232 automobile report, President Trump today issued a proclamation directing the United States Trade Representative to negotiate agreements to address the national security threat, which is causing harm to the American automobile industry. (more)

The President has designated the auto industry as a critical component of national security [More Here].  With Ross’s report in hand, the possibility of increasing tariffs on foreign automobiles is the leverage POTUS gives to Lighthizer along with the mandate to engage.
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