US will not be taken advantage of: Trump at APEC Summit

In a strongly worded message to the Asian leaders, United States President Donald Trump has brought his hard-line economic nationalism to the world stage, stating that Washington will not be taken advantage of anymore.

Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, President Trump , "We are not going to be taken advantage of anymore. I am always going to put America first, the same way I expect all of you in this room to put your countries first."

He did not blame other countries for taking advantage of the United States, but rather he blamed previous presidents.

President Trump underscored, "I do not blame China, or any other country, of which there are many, for taking advantage of the United States on trade. If their representatives are able to get away with it, they are just doing their jobs."

"I wish previous administrations in my country saw what was happening and did something about it," he added.

According to the reports, as part of his trip to the region, he has already vowed to correct the huge trade imbalance with China and Japan.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, speaking at the same APEC event shortly after President Trump, said economic globalisation had become an "irreversible historical trend."

"Against the backdrop of evolving global developments, economic globalisation also faces new adjustments both in form and substance," he said. "In pursuing economic globalization, we should make it more open, more inclusive, more balanced, more equitable and more beneficial to all," he added.

President Trump is currently on a tour of Asia that has taken him to Japan, South Korea and China so far.

The APEC summit, taking place in this year, is focused on regional trade, with particularly attention on the TPP, the reports said.

APEC brings together 21 economies from the Pacific region.