Trump in Asia : A beginner's guide to trade threats and tweets
US President Donald Trump  is on  his  first official trip to Asia  passing through Japan  South Korea  China  Vietnam and the Philippines.
 Mr Trump  starts off by visiting Washington's closest Asian friends: Japan and South Korea. But it's North Korea they will be talking about. Pyongyang has already sent two long range missiles over Japan and conducted its sixth and biggest nuclear test. Despite harsher sanctions  North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has shown no sign of slowing down the pace of weapons development. Skittish observers wonder if the visit will prompt Pyongyang to do something rash. But if talks with almost every leader are about how to deal with North Korea  there is unlikely to be any real consensus. Here are some key questions from this leg of the trip:
How much reassurance can  Trump  provide? With Japanese citizens rehearsing drills in case of a nuclear attack  Tokyo will want to know the US will provide military co-operation. Seoul  literally in the firing line of its northern neighbour with artillery positioned over the border  will want the same.
Will Trump tweet while so close to the North? After an unprecedented personal warning to  Mr Trump  from Kim Jong-un  Seoul will want  him  to tone down  his  rhetoric and keep options for dialogue open. Any threats exchanged when  he  is literally over the border won't go down well.
How will  he  like the viral Pen Pineapple song? In Tokyo  he  is also set to meet Piko Taro  singer of the Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen earworm that swept the globe.
What about that awkward handshake?  Mr Trump  and Japan's PM Shinzo Abe are thought to have a strong relationship  but people will watch closely after the patting and twitching of their last 19-second handshake.
China is North Korea's chief economic supporter and  Mr Trump  is likely to seek continued support for sanctions. But Chinese leader Xi Jinping has just emerged from a Communist Party Congress that saw his power reach unprecedented levels  so he may not feel the need to compromise. Few observers expect radical shifts in the US-China relationship  but they will be watching for any clues to shifts in the global balance of power. China set out its stall earlier this year with a push to its 2013 Belt and Road project  a vast global trade network with China at its heart. Here are other things to look out for:
Will he talk tough on trade?  Mr Trump  is known for lambasting China over allegedly unfair trade policies  currency manipulation and stealing US jobs.  He  has just called the US trade deficit with China "embarrassing" but what can  he  achieve in practice?
By the time  Mr Trump  gets to Vietnam and the Philippines we should know more about how the US is positioning itself in Asia. Trade is likely to be key.  Mr Trump  pulled out of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade deal  frustrating many including Vietnam   his  host at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' meeting. Even Japan and Korea are nervous the US will back off from bilateral trade agreements.  His  "America First!" slogan is aimed at a domestic audience but does not go down well with trade partners abroad. And there are other questions from this leg:
Will  he  speak out on human rights? Both Vietnam  which puts dissenting bloggers in jail  and the Philippines  with its controversial drug war  have a patchy rights record - but will  Mr Trump  speak out?
What happens when  Trump  and Duterte meet?  They  are the two most outspoken leaders in the world  so expect colourful talk. But Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has shown he is just as willing to woo China as the US  the Philippines' traditional ally.
[TGT] is on   [TGT]   first official trip to Asia  passing through Japan  South Korea  China  Vietnam and the Philippines.
  [TGT] starts off by visiting Washington's closest Asian friends: Japan and South Korea. But it's North Korea they will be talking about. Pyongyang has already sent two long range missiles over Japan and conducted its sixth and biggest nuclear test. Despite harsher sanctions  North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has shown no sign of slowing down the pace of weapons development. Skittish observers wonder if the visit will prompt Pyongyang to do something rash. But if talks with almost every leader are about how to deal with North Korea  there is unlikely to be any real consensus. Here are some key questions from this leg of the trip:
How much reassurance can   [TGT]   provide? With Japanese citizens rehearsing drills in case of a nuclear attack  Tokyo will want to know the US will provide military co-operation. Seoul  literally in the firing line of its northern neighbour with artillery positioned over the border  will want the same.
Will Trump tweet while so close to the North? After an unprecedented personal warning to   [TGT] Seoul will want   [TGT]   to tone down   [TGT]   rhetoric and keep options for dialogue open. Any threats exchanged when   [TGT]   is literally over the border won't go down well.
How will   [TGT]   like the viral Pen Pineapple song? In Tokyo   [TGT]   is also set to meet Piko Taro  singer of the Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen earworm that swept the globe.
What about that awkward handshake?   [TGT]  are thought to have a strong relationship  but people will watch closely after the patting and twitching of  [TGT]  last 19-second handshake.
China is North Korea's chief economic supporter and   [TGT] is likely to seek continued support for sanctions. But Chinese leader Xi Jinping has just emerged from a Communist Party Congress that saw his power reach unprecedented levels  so he may not feel the need to compromise. Few observers expect radical shifts in the US-China relationship  but they will be watching for any clues to shifts in the global balance of power. China set out its stall earlier this year with a push to its 2013 Belt and Road project  a vast global trade network with China at its heart. Here are other things to look out for:
Will he talk tough on trade?   [TGT] is known for lambasting China over allegedly unfair trade policies  currency manipulation and stealing US jobs.   [TGT]   has just called the US trade deficit with China "embarrassing" but what can   [TGT]   achieve in practice?
By the time   [TGT] gets to Vietnam and the Philippines we should know more about how the US is positioning itself in Asia. Trade is likely to be key.   [TGT] pulled out of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade deal  frustrating many including Vietnam    [TGT]   host at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' meeting. Even Japan and Korea are nervous the US will back off from bilateral trade agreements.   [TGT]   "America First!" slogan is aimed at a domestic audience but does not go down well with trade partners abroad. And there are other questions from this leg:
Will  he  speak out on human rights? Both Vietnam  which puts dissenting bloggers in jail  and the Philippines  with its controversial drug war  have a patchy rights record - but will   [TGT] speak out?
What happens when   [TGT] and Duterte meet?   [TGT]   are the two most outspoken leaders in the world  so expect colourful talk. But Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has shown he is just as willing to woo China as the US  the Philippines' traditional ally.