US President Donald Trump arrived in Vietnam on Friday where he is expected to flesh out his “America First” vision for the future of world commerce, fresh from a visit to fellow superpower China which is pitching itself as the new architect of global free trade.
Trump, who tweeted his arrival shortly after stepping off Air Force One at Danang airport, is likely to press his protectionist doctrine when he addresses CEOs ahead of the APEC forum.
In a day mixing big hitters of politics and business, Trump will share the venue with world leaders including Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Japan’s Shinzo Abe and China’s Xi Jinping.
Xi will also deliver a speech, likely to double down on his commitment, delivered at the recent Communist Party Congress, that China is ready and able to step into the role of global free trade leader vacated by America.