ALBAWABA - According to a White House official, U.S. President Donald Trump had an unplanned meeting with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Air Force One during a short refueling stop in Doha on Saturday.
Trump stopped in Malaysia on his way to a big regional summit where he would also meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The White House called the meeting "critical" for stabilizing global markets during trade tensions. Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, went with the president on the trip.
China and World Trade Should Be the Focus
Trump told reporters on his plane that he was looking forward to a "very good meeting" with Xi and was hopeful that they could reach a trade deal that would stop a planned 100% tariff increase that was set to go into effect on November 1. "We're hoping for a fair deal that works for both sides," he said.
Being open to North Korea
Trump also said he would be willing to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his trip, which will take him to Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea. This is his first trip to Asia since taking office in January.
When asked if he would think about meeting with Kim while he was in Korea, Trump said, "I'd like that—he knows we're coming." Trump said, "If he wants to talk, I'm open to it," referring to his past relationship with Kim. We got along very well.
When asked about North Korea's demand to be recognized as a nuclear power before talks could start again, Trump said, "They're sort of a nuclear power... they have a lot of nuclear weapons."
Tour of the Region with a Purpose
Analysts think that Trump's trip to Asia was meant to reestablish U.S. power in the area, strengthen ties with allies, and ease tensions with China and North Korea. The short stop in Qatar showed how important Doha is becoming as a place for the U.S. to do business in the Middle East.
