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WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump will skip the East Asia Summit (EAS) in the Philippines next month, AP reported on Tuesday (Oct 24) citing the Washington Post.
Trump is scheduled to make a 12-day, five-nation trip to Asia and will attend the ASEAN summit on Nov 13 in the Philippines on the last leg of his tour, AP reported. But the president will then leave on Nov 14, which is the start date of the EAS, AP said.
According to AP, another US delegation will attend the EAS and reported the White House as saying that Trump will attend "some meetings related to the East Asia Summit before the gathering officially begins".
The EAS will include more than a dozen Asian nations as well as Australia, New Zealand and Russia.
Trump's Asian itinerary begins on Nov 3 as he travels to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines, amid rising tensions over North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes.
Trump will "call on the international community to join together in maximising pressure on North Korea", the White House said in a statement, and will meet family members of Japanese citizens who have been abducted by North Korea.
During his visit, Trump will emphasise his commitment to US alliances and partnerships, attend events at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
He will also meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte and Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang.
Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/trump-to-skip-east-asia-summit-reports-9341650