Within 2 days (although PM Najib arrived on 11 Sep, it was not an official event day), the followings are to be noted:
1. It is unheard of in USA history of the State Department and National Security Council (NSC) giving clearance for a US President to meet with a foreign head of state that is directly named in DOJ's largest ever money laundering investigation.
2. Not only was Najib Razak invited by the US President, his delegation was also received by an expanded list of the most senior ranking officials of President Trump's administration including:
- Secretary of State, Tillerson
- Secretary of Defence, Mattis
- National Security Advisor, McMaster
- National Economic Advisor, Cohen
- Senior Advisor, Kushner
- and the list goes on
- there were more than 10 Ministerial Level persons
3. The one-on-one meeting was close to an hour instead of the usual 15m.
4. The President sent Prime Minister Najib Razak all the way to his vehicle on departure. By protocol, the President sends off and stops at the main lobby.
5. There was both live statements made to the Media by both leaders which were completely in sync in front of all their respective cabinet members and in additional a very long joint statement (longer than ordinary) worked on by the State Department and Foreign Affairs Ministry and issue by both Governments. The decision not to make a joint statement in the Oval Office was one decided by both leaders as they wanted to show strength that both countries' senior cabinet members were behind such decisions and statements and its about their governments behind the decisions of their leaders.
6. The Whitehouse very swiftly produced a special video for PM Najib visit attached to President Trump's tweet of his appreciation shortly after PM Najib left the Whitehouse.
7. PM Najib on 13 Sept went to the Senate Building and met with key Foreign Relation Committee Senators led by Cory Gardner whom is the Chairman of Senate Committee on Asia. He is also the Chairman of the Senate Republican Campaign Committee and is an important up and coming power player. Also Chairman of National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). NRSC helps elect republicans primarily through fund raising.
- Excellent leg work was done prior to the meeting as 1MDB was not brought up by the bipartisan senate committee including both Democrats and Republicans.
8. PM Najib also had good meetings with various think tanks and business councils.
9. PM Najib is leaving USA 13 Sep feeling like his November 2016 Beijing visit hosted by President Xi. It was an extremely successful visit, unheard of even by USA standards and President Trump is now due to visit Malaysia in November 2017 in which he is expected to bring major investments by Boeing in Malaysia with the potential shift of Boeing Southeast Asia HQ and production facilities to Malaysia in the tune of USD5b as part of the USD10b program.
10. He arrives in London on the way back to Malaysia to be received by PM Theresa May of UK signalling another major endorsement.
11. President Xi is also schedule for a visit to Malaysia in November 2017 with major goodies.
While Singapore is still struggling to mend fences with China, PM Najib's master stroke has not only brought it best friend status with President Xi and China, he has also successfully manoeuvred not only acceptance from the USA but support from President Trump, his cabinet, and all the way to the bipartisan senate foreign relations Committee.
Cat with 9 lives?
Election in sight for December 2017?
No comments:
Post a Comment