US President Donald Trump today completed his marathon tour in Asia, which passed without any surprises but without any significant developments, while he did not provide clarifications on the strategy he intends to follow.
The leaders of the region seemed to be competing for who would take care of Trump, a well-known lover of grandeur and honor. "It was a red carpet that no one has seen before," he commented ecstatically, calling his trip "very successful."
"I made a lot of friends at the highest level," Trump told reporters shortly before leaving Manila. "We worked hard and I believe the results of our work will be incredible."
Golf and a grand dinner in Tokyo, opera and a visit to the Forbidden City in Beijing and Seoul toast by the President of South Korea in honor of the man "who gave back to America its glory."
The American president, a novice in diplomacy who does not like long trips, avoided traps and appeared rather comfortable. But beyond the careful photographs, questions remain about the impact of this trip.
From Tokyo to Manila, passing through Seoul, Beijing and Hanoi, Trump seemed to have two priorities: to step up pressure to address North Korea's nuclear threat and to defend improved access to Asian markets for American companies.
But the record of these 12 days, which will be seen in the future, may be meager. "Comparing the before and after of Trump's Asian tour, virtually nothing has changed (in the case of North Korea)," explained Go Myung Hyun of the Asan Institute. Beijing, Pyongyang's main economic partner, "has not committed to anything new (…) and remains firm in its positions," he added.
However, some experts believe that Trump's talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping may bear fruit in the medium term. "Xi Jinping warmly welcomed Donald Trump, the relationship between the two countries is relatively stable.
In this context, it will not reject in its entirety the demands of the latter ", predicts Cheng Xiaoche, a professor at Beijing Renmin University. In terms of trade, Beijing has announced its intention to expand foreign companies' access to its financial sector, but obstacles remain.
In his speech in Vietnam's Danang, Trump seemed to be speaking at a rally, emphasizing his slogan "America first."
Stressing that his country is a victim of "chronic trade violations", he denounced with rare severity the bilateral agreements that "tie the hands" of his country. And his vision for a "free and open India-Pacific region" remains unclear. "It remains to be seen how it can be transferred to reality," commented Yosinobu Yamamoto of Niigata University.
According to Ryan Haas, a former adviser to President Barack Obama on Asia, Trump's trip reinforced the view that "the region is moving forward and accelerating while the United States is watching from behind."
He specifically referred to the decision of 11 Asia-Pacific countries to conclude a new free trade agreement after the sudden withdrawal of the United States. Another noteworthy fact is that during the 12 days the American president did not mention the issue of climate change even once.