'A free and open Indo-Pacific region; and advancing American prosperity through fair trade and economic practices.'
Those were the themes introduced by Trump administration officials ahead of the President's first major trip to the region.
However, eclipsing the entire agenda, Trump's biggest foreign policy challenge - how to answer North Korea's weapons program and it's continued threats against the U.S. and it's regional allies.
Our US correspondent Priscilla Huff reports:
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It's President Trump's most ambitious trip since taking office…
and one that remains a work in progress...
with the itinerary changing as U.S. President Donald Trump boarded Air Force One.
TAKE BITE TRUMP
"We're actually staying a second day in the phillippines, we have a second conference, a big conference and I think we're gonna have great success, we'll be talking about trade...We'll be talking about, obviously, North Korea. We'll be enlisting the help of a lot of people and countries. We'll see what happens, but I think we're going to have a very successful trip. There's a lot of goodwill."
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Over 10 days, President Trump will stop in 5 nations starting with Japan, where - along with some golf with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe - he'll attempt to set the tone for strengthening alliances with Tokyo and Seoul, while pushing American interests on trade and security.
His top concern, above all else, the ongoing threats posed by North Korea…, according to his National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster
TAKE BITE NSC
"the president recognizes that we're running out of time and will ask all nations to do more."
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And yet H.R McMaster has admitted,
the American president will use what ever language he wants to use when it comes to North Korea....
Just as Donald Trump did during his debut speech at the United Nations General Assembly.
TAKE BITE President Trump, UNGA 2017
"The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea. Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime. "
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The White House says President Trump wont visit the Demilitarized Zone during his stay in South Korea – unlike most past presidents - calling such stops now cliche.
However, his Defence Secretary James Mattis did just visit the DMZ
And during a speech in South Korea in October
again repeated the desire for diplomacy to succeed.
TAKE BITE - U.S. Defense Secretary Gen. James Mattis (speaking at the DMZ in oct)
"Our goal is not war, but rather the complete verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean peninsula"
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The Trump administration says it'll use the trip to deepen support for US economic and diplomatic pressure against the rogue regime, as observers such as Michael Green of the Center for Strategic and International Studies observes
Donald Trump doesn't always stick to his script.
TAKE BITE - Michael J. Green,
"Will he talk about preventive war - we're going to attack North Korea because they're not negotiating? Will he talk about defending our allies but keep it vague? And then he may say something that's prepared for his speech in Korea but then he may tweet something else"
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President Trump's most keenly anticipated is his third: Beijing,
That's where he will meet with his Chinese counterpart, their first face-to-face since they appeared to hit-it-off back in April during President Xi's <<see's>> trip to the Trump estate in Florida.
and since President Xi cemented his power base during the 19th Communist Party Congress.
The two men will want to talk trade, but again North Korea will dominate.
The US knows China, Pyongyang's biggest economic lifeline, is vital to diplomatic pressure having any chance of reining in the North Koreans
National Security Adviser H-R McMaster sounded an optimistic note before the President departed.
TAKE BITE SOT [National Security Adviser, HR McMaster]
"I think China will, as it always does, act in its interests. But, I think this is an area where interests are really clearly aligned.""
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U.S. President Donald Trump is now expected to attend three summits
On Asia Pacific Economic cooperation in Vietnam,
and then it's onto the Philippines for
the gala 50th anniversary for ASEAN the Association of south east Asian Nations
and now the East Asia Summit
Priscilla Huff, Washington