WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is set to embark on an important trip to the Philippines and China next week, accompanied by the world's wealthiest man, Elon Musk. As the head of SpaceX and Tesla, Musk's economic and national security interests render him a valuable adviser to Trump, according to unnamed administration officials who disclosed details about the upcoming visit on a Friday call with reporters.
This journey follows recent upheaval in the tech sector, particularly the ousting of Jensen Huang as CEO of Nvidia, amid allegations of an extramarital affair with an individual purported to be linked to the Chinese government. Beijing has denied that Alice Huang, the individual in question, is a spy. Her company, Megaspeed, faced accusations last year regarding the facilitation of Nvidia's advanced computer chip shipments into China.
Interestingly, Trump does not plan to address this explosive issue with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and administration officials do not foresee any retaliatory measures from China concerning follow-up actions aimed at curbing the smuggling or use of advanced computer chips. Officials maintain that the Nvidia situation should not affect the trip, emphasizing that U.S. export control regulations do not hinge on negotiations with foreign nations.
Trump's aides are exploring strategies to tighten existing trade measures, particularly concerning export licensing loopholes, and are looking into controlling how Chinese firms utilize advanced chips via remote internet access.
The trip is set to conclude with a historic trilateral meeting involving Xi and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, with a primary focus on limiting nuclear weaponry. However, there are no plans for Trump to engage with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, despite ongoing concerns over North Korea's nuclear arsenal.
Trump's itinerary includes arriving in Manila, Philippines, on Tuesday to engage with leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). During his visit, he aims to sign a trade agreement with Thailand and meet with the Quad, an alliance comprising the U.S., India, Australia, and Japan.
The following day, Trump will head to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, marking his third in-person meeting with Xi this year. After this summit, Trump, Xi, and Putin will convene for a joint meeting.
While discussions are anticipated to cover the Iran conflict, officials suggest that Russia's war in Ukraine will not be part of the agenda. Notably, Musk, who has played a crucial role in supporting Ukraine's defenses through his Starlink system, will not participate in the trilateral talks.
