Donald Trump to skip ASEAN Summit in Singapore in November; will travel to France, Argentina instead, says White House

Washington: United States president Donald Trump will visit France and Argentina this November, while giving the ASEAN Summit in Singapore a miss, the White House has announced. Trump will participate in a 11 November event in Paris commemorating the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, and would then travel to Buenos Aires to attend the G20 Summit, the White House said on Friday. The US president will, however, skip the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and the East Asia Summit in Singapore, and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in Papua New Guinea. He has asked Vice-President Mike Pence to attend these, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said. [caption id=“attachment_5047871” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of US president Donald Trump. AP[/caption] The vice-president will, in these meetings, highlight the United States’ vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific, based on respect for sovereignty, the rule of law, and the principles of free, fair and reciprocal trade. “The vice-president looks forward to meeting with our allies and partners from across the region to advance security, prosperity and freedom for all,” Sanders said. The president will also visit Ireland after attending the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the conclusion of World War I in Paris, she said. “The president’s participation in this event will highlight the sacrifices that Americans have made, not only during World War I, but also in the century since, in the name of liberty. While in Europe, he will visit Ireland to renew the deep and historic ties between our two nations,” Sanders said. Later in November, Trump will attend the G20 Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina. “The G20 Summit will be an opportunity for the president to highlight his pro-growth economic policies on an international stage and meet bilaterally with other key world leaders,” Sanders said. Trump will also travel to Colombia to discuss opportunities for greater collaboration in security, counter narcotics, and regional affairs with the Duque administration, the White House press secretary said.