Asia looms large as Donald Trump embarks on Asia trip

Donald Trump’s 11-day, five-nation trip to Asia is intended to be about much more than North Korea.

With stops in Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines, it will be the longest visit to the region by a US president since George HW Bush travelled there in 1992. Bush caught flu on that tour and threw up in the Japanese prime minister’s lap.

On this occasion, the greater fear is that the region will have an allergic reaction to the president.

There are more than 140 protests planned in Seoul, where the population is anxious that it will be the first to pay for Trump’s outbursts.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has distanced himself from Trump’s threats against Pyongyang, insisting no military action can be taken without his government’s agreement.

Seoul has also been alarmed by Trump’s threats to walk away from the US-Korean trade agreement and to make South Korea pay for US missile defence systems deployed on its soil.

UCJ, UNILORIN.