Those who have walked in the deep weeds of geopolitical strategy know the emphasis the Trump administration has placed on ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) as a counter-balance (control leverage) to the Chinese trade and military expansion.
The ongoing trade and security relationship between the U.S. and India, as well as other regional partners, is a large part of the overarching dynamic.  The ASEAN Summit in Manilla Philippines is an opportunity for President Trump to expand the conversations; enter into deeper discussions surrounding the terms of partnership; and deepen commitments toward larger U.S. international objectives.

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The ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region including India, comprises a combined population of 1.85 billion people, one-fourth of the global population. From the perspective of India – “Prime Minister Modi is likely to reassert India’s push to create a global approach to deal with terrorism. He will also pitch steps to boost regional trade. One of the more significant meetings will be Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with US President Donald Trump.”
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At 10:20am (local) / 10:20pm (U.S. EST) President Trump and President Quang will be holding a joint press conference from the Presidential Palace, Hanoi, Vietnam.
UPDATE: Video Added

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President Trump pushed back against the ridiculous questions about Russian election conspiracy and knocks the nonsense out of the ballpark. GREAT ANSWER (Video Segment Below)
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United States President Donald J Trump arrives to the official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam  as an honored guest of Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang.
The official Vietnamese welcoming ceremony begins with the playing of both the U.S. national anthem and the national anthem of Vietnam; then a presentation of the national military, inspection by President Trump and President Quang; followed by greeting the highest national delegation of the host nation.  They did a really great job. WATCH:

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[Press Pool] Soldiers clad in white uniforms with red trim and wearing knee-high boots lined a grand red-carpeted staircase up to the entrance of the mustard-yellow Presidential Palace, a colonial-style building with arched windows and a giant Vietnamese flag on top. Under grey skies and a steady drizzle, uniformed troops were lined up on three sides of a tiled courtyard out front, and on the left were a group of little girls wearing sequined tutus and holding American and Vietnamese flags.
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President Trump ends the final day of an official state visit in Vietnam prior to heading to Manila Philippines later tonight where the ASEAN conference will begin tomorrow.
On Sunday morning (Vietnam local time / Saturday Night U.S. Eastern), President Trump will participate in an official state welcome ceremony and official photo followed by a bilateral meeting with President Tran Dai Quang of Vietnam. The President will then participate in a business event.

Later in the morning, the President will deliver a joint press statement with President Quang of Vietnam (10:20pm U.S. EST). The President will then participate in a bilateral meeting with the Secretary General of the Communist Party Nguyen Phu Trong of Vietnam followed by a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc of Vietnam. The President will then participate in an embassy meet and greet.
The President will then depart Hanoi, Vietnam en route to Manila, Philippines. In the evening, the President will attend a special gala celebration dinner for the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
SCHEDULE BELOW:
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In the flight between Da Nang (APEC Summit) and Hanoi, Vietnam, for the official U.S. State visit, President Trump took questions from the traveling press pool and held an impromptu presser aboard Air-Force-One.
[TRANSCRIPT]  PRESIDENT TRUMP: Everybody okay? Everybody happy? Everybody healthy? Two more days — no problem.

It’s been a — I think it’s been a great trip. In certain ways, it’s been very epic. I think things have happened that have been really amazing. Prime Minister Abe came up to me just at the end, and he said that since you left South Korea and Japan, that those two countries are now getting along much, much better. That’s from Prime Minister Abe — that there’s been a real bonding between South Korea and Japan. So that was great.

And we had a time in China. You were there. Were most of you there? Jennifer?

♦Q We all were, sir.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: They say in the history of people coming to China, there’s been nothing like that. And I believe it.  Did you see the show? Did most of you see the show or part of the show afterwards? It was incredible.

♦Q We saw the opera but not the —
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President Donald Trump attends a state banquet in Vietnam as the guest of Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang.  At the beginning of the banquet both President Quang and President Trump deliver remarks to the international delegation and assembled emissaries for each nation.
Speaking without using prepared remarks President Trump honors the culture and success of the Vietnamese people, offers condolence and support for the recent victims of typhoon Damrey, and extends his warmest optimism for the future of both nations joined together in common cause to advance mutual interests of prosperity and peace.

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[TRANSCRIPT] PRESIDENT QUANG: (As interpreted.) Mr. Donald Trump, President of the United States of America, distinguished American guests, ladies and gentlemen: On behalf of the leaders and people of Vietnam, I warmly welcome Mr. President and the high-level American delegation to Hanoi, Vietnam on a state visit at the most vibrant time of bilateral relations.
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This Veterans Day President Trump delivers a message of appreciation for the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces.  WATCH:

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[Read with Looming British Voice] Crikey… deep within the Vietnamese rain forest we discover a large assembly of ferocious creatures… each followed closely by their tribal hierarchy.  Carefully, silently, we capture their stealthy movements amid the banana trees and deeply rich native vegetation… After four minutes and thirty seconds of breathless anticipation we finally got the footage we were looking for…
The largest of the beasts emerge from the brush… The predators. A giant panda, seemingly unaware of the cameras… Just then, there it is, the moment we never thought we would see, the apex predators – a bear and lion together just as the regional colluding myths have described through the ages; seemingly oblivious to our presence – fearless in their approach… we dare not move:

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Just love this guy. Remember to teach your kids, grand-kids, family etc. about the unknown wolverine, the third musketeer, United States Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer.

Da Nang, Vietnam – United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer today released the following statement in response to President Trump’s speech on trade between the United States and the Indo-Pacific region, at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit (emphasis mine):

“The President spoke loud and clear: the era of trade compromised by massive state intervention, subsidies, closed markets and mercantilism is ending. Free, fair and reciprocal trade that leads to market outcomes and greater prosperity is on the horizon.
“President Trump understands that too many nations talk about free trade abroad, only to shield their economies behind tariff and non-tariff barriers at home. The United States will no longer allow these actions to continue, and we are willing to use our economic leverage to pursue truly fair and balanced trade.
“I look forward to doing as the President instructed me and to pursue policies that will improve the lives of our workers, farmers and ranchers.” (link)

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Apologies in advance to our conservative Canadian friends; but the explainer here is regarding America-First trade and economics against the backdrop of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, Canada and Mexico’s alignment therein, the APEC Summit and rainbow socks.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Justin from Canada

Here’s why Canada and Mexico signing up to TPP is great news for the U.S., and couldn’t come at a better time for NAFTA round #5 on November 17th.  We don’t want TPP to collapse, because TPP ties the hands of Canada and Mexico to elements of trade that are based on collective interests. Their joining TPP provides the U.S. leverage in NAFTA.
Remember, Vietnam is exactly 12 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time zone.  At 7:450pm last evening in Vietnam (local time), at the last minute, Rainbow Socks backed out of the signing the TPP framework (explained here).  Twelve hours later, at 7:20am (local), the AP reported the agreement was “back on” with “a compromise”:

DANANG, Vietnam (AP) — The Latest on the summit of 21 Pacific Rim economies in Vietnam (all times local): 7:20 a.m. – Trade ministers say they have reached a basic agreement on a Pacific Rim trade pact without the United States.

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