President Trump struck a conciliatory tone with other world leaders as the Group of 20 summit got started, saying there would be “very big” trade deals to announce with India and Japan.
Mr. Abe gave Mr. Trump a one-page map and chart — rendered in red, white and blue — showing recent Japanese investments in the United States.CreditMichael Crowley/The New York Times
A one-page appeal to Trump, in red, white and blue.
One thing world leaders have learned is how to play up to President Trump when he visits. In the latest example, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan at their meeting on Friday gave the president a one-page map and chart — rendered in red, white and blue — showing recent Japanese investments in the United States.
“Japan has FIVE Additional Investments in JUST ONE MONTH,” the sheet declared with Trumpian boldness.
The five investments were all pretty small bore — $2 million for job training in Michigan and $3 million for 34 new jobs in Alabama, for example. The biggest one was $100 million financing 150 new jobs at a plant in Kentucky.
But the details matter less than the point — Mr. Abe, like other world leaders, has come to understand that the way to appeal to Mr. Trump is to tell him they are spending money in the United States. Mr. Trump thanked Mr. Abe for “sending” auto companies to the United States. “They’re building magnificent plants,” he said.
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Mr. Modi and Mr. Trump on Friday.CreditErin Schaff/The New York Times
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Mr. Modi and Mr. Trump on Friday.CreditErin Schaff/The New York Times
A quick shift in tone from Trump on India.
Less than 24 hours after tweeting a strong complaint about India’s trade policies, part of
a barrage of criticism of American allies, President Trump met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. Mr. Trump began their conversation with congratulations on
Mr. Modi’s recent re-election and conciliatory comments about the need for close bilateral relations.
“We’re going to have some very big things to announce, a very big trade deal,” Mr. Trump said in front of journalists before the two men began their negotiations.
The relationship with India, he said, has not “ever been better than it is right now.”
Mr. Modi said that he and Mr. Trump would be discussing Iran, 5G mobile communications, bilateral relations and defense relations. “We have a position which is farsighted and positive,” Mr. Modi said.
Mr. Trump had
tweeted before arriving in Osaka: “I look forward to speaking with Prime Minister Modi about the fact that India, for years having put very high Tariffs against the United States, just recently increased the Tariffs even further. This is unacceptable and the Tariffs must be withdrawn!”
India has
the highest tariffs on imports of any of the world’s largest economies, somewhat higher than China’s although still below the tariffs of Brazil and some smaller developing economies.
Mr. Trump suspended three weeks ago India’s participation in the
Generalized System of Preferences, an American program that allows goods from the world’s poorest nations to enter the United States with zero tariffs. India
retaliated several days later by imposing tariffs on 28 products imported from the United States, including almonds, apples and walnuts.
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