Trump absent, ASEAN charts path for trade bloc led by China

Pres Trump is not campaigning, he is trying to stave off impeachment. VP Pence is waiting for the chips to fall.

china is going to all of a sudden, become everyone’s new buddy, huh?

ASEAN also hopes to set a code of conduct with China regarding disputed waters in the South China Sea, he said.

Good luck with that. China's territorial expansion agenda is not negotiable and they are willing to use military force to enforce it. And everything they do economically is designed to support that agenda.

I suspect that Trump would have been MIA even if he had shown up.

Well... when you trade with China you have to comply with their Political idealisms. Trump's America isnt going to do that.

It's up to the leaders of countries to stand up to a bully. Strength in numbers. All those countries vs one.

ASEAN and China are one family, one people, one culture, one gene, one civilization, and one destination.

“Good Luck with That”.