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Trump Announces Agreement With China On North Korea; Vice President Mike Pence Meets With Texas Shooting Victims' Families And Survivors; Man At Heart Of Clinton "Dirt" Claims Goes To Ground; President Trump And President Xi Discuss North Korea And Trade; New Zealand Host Peru In 1st Leg Of Playoff; Rising American Tennis Star Eyes ATP Finals. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired November 09, 2017 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[01:00:00] JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everybody. I'm John Vause in Los Angeles. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. It's just gone 10:00 p.m., Wednesday here on the West Coast. Thanks for joining us. Well, from all outward appearances, the relationship between the leaders of the U.S. and China is warm despite some major differences. President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping held talks in Beijing which focused on North Korea's nuclear threat and the U.S.-China trade imbalance. Although he's been critical of China's surplus, President Trump blamed past U.S. administrations for the problem. He said he couldn't blame the country for taking advantage of another country for the benefit of its own citizens. On North Korea, Donald Trump said he believes a solution can still be found.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We agreed not to replicate failed approaches of the past, and there were many. We agreed on to implement all U.N. Security Council resolutions on North Korea and to increase economic pressure until North Korea abandons its reckless and dangerous path. All responsible nations must join together to stop arming and financing, and even trading with the murderous North Korean regime. Together we have in our power to finally liberate this region and the world from this very serious nuclear menace. But it will require collective action, collective strength, and collective devotion to winning the peace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Well, joining us now for more, Political Commentator Mo'Kelly, Host of the "The Mo'Kelly" radio show; and Republican Strategist Charles Moran. You know, this was a very interesting different Donald Trump. Mo, you know, he talked about the great chemistry he has with Xi Jinping. He even said that together, they could probably solve all the world's problems. That seems like a pretty big promise to make.
MO'KELLY, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND RADIO HOST: Well, our president has been prone to hyperbole, but I'll take him at his word in terms of his rapport with President Xi. I'm more concerned whether China's president is as invested in thwarting North Korea as we are. I do believe that China can do more, but they haven't demonstrated that they want to do more. So, there's a lot of daylight between what I see as what President Trump and America wants, and what China is comfortable with doing.
VAUSE: And Charles, the reason for that daylight, because the interests when it comes to North Korea, China, and the United States have very different interests.
CHARLES MORAN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, and in this situation, Donald Trump clearly knows that the biggest economic indicator and leverage point he has is the relationship between North Korea and China. North Korea is completely subservient to China and its political will, you know, due to its economy and its economic structure. So, again, President Trump is walking into this situation with a carrot and a stick. He has the ability to be the negotiator in chief right now, but he also has the ability to be the commander in chief if he feels like more of a military option is needed. He's bringing in a third aircraft carrier into the region, but he's also walking with a lot of trade deals and a lot of really good news for our partners in Asia and for the American people.
VAUSE: Yes. Well, there was this announcement of $250 billion worth of trade and investment, Mo, which, of course, you know, everyone thinks is great. But I'm just wondering, you know, Xi Jinping really turned on the charm, and, you know, went all out. This is called a state visit plus for Donald Trump. What does Xi Jinping want from Donald Trump?
KELLY: I would want -- if I'm Xi Jinping, I would want more respect in terms of the One China Policy. I would want there not to be a lasting presence in that Asian Pacific region, if only because, if somebody happens in that North Korean -- in the Korean Peninsula, China has already said, if the United States should attack, then China's going to side with North Korea. So, ultimately, China is going to wait and see what we do. And if we do anything which is antithetical to their needs and their desires and their wants, we're going to see a very different relationship unfold.
VAUSE: Yes. What was also interesting is, you know, the contrast between Candidate Trump and President Trump --
KELLY: Yes.
VAUSE: Let's listen back to Candidate Trump when it comes to China.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: We can't continue to allow China to rape our country -- and that's what they're doing. China's taking our jobs, our money, our base, our manufacturing.
What they've done to us is the greatest single theft in the history of the world.
The greatest abuser in the history of this country, rampant theft of intellectual property.
A currency manipulator.
They break the rules in every way imaginable.
I have many friends in China. They agree with me 100 percent.
We have lost all of their respect.
They think we're run by a bunch of idiots.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Now, Charles, you know, China, they can't be blamed for what they did, it's all the fault of previous administrations.
[01:05:13] MORAN: The concepts that he talked about in all of those clips are still there, and they were brought up today. We've got currency manipulation. We've got the intellectual property. We've got trade imbalance. Lack of access to -- of American companies to Chinese markets. He brought up the opioid addiction problem and the flow of drugs. These are all things that he's talking about that are being addressed. His withdrawal from the TPP, being able to walk into these Asian-American -- or these Asia countries to negotiate one-on- one trade deal continues with what he said on the campaign trail. The rhetoric may be different but the fundamental baseline is exactly the same.
VAUSE: Just on the issue of the TPP, Mo. The TPP was nicknamed "the everyone but China group." It was a way of economically isolating China in the region and try to contain it a bit. So, by the United States pulling out, it kind of, you know, undercut all that.
KELLY: But now, the enemy of my enemy is any friend. And so, we need something from China, which means the president has to tamp down his rhetoric and be on best behavior. My concern is when he leaves Asia and he gets back on Twitter and he starts turning his mind and thoughts to the Candidate Trump, because he always goes back to the election, that we won't see more of the rhetoric that he originally started with and then ruin all the goodwill that he's created.
VAUSE: Yes. And in terms of North Korea, clearly, everyone says China plays this big role, but China has always played this big role and has never really delivered. How can this president ensure that China delivers without having an all-out economic trade war which is going to devastate, you know, the world economy?
MORAN: I think this is again continuing to isolate China and put it into a corner where it's going to have to choose a side. You're either going to participate in trade deals with the United States and unlocking more of our markets, allowing, you know, our companies to penetrate theirs. And if North Korea continues to threaten the stability of that region, China has to take some responsibility for it. And everybody has been -- you know, China has consistently gone around.
Then, you know, they've said that they're going to, you know, contain North Korea, they're going to make these commitments, they're going to squeeze the North Korean. And then, every time something happens and they start shooting off another missile, China says, oh my gosh, I'm so surprised that this is happening, oh, we'll have to step in.
KELLY: I would push back on that, it's only because China just have leverage economically over us. And it's one thing to say we need to isolate China -- it's another thing to do it. And at the same time, oh, by the way, we need your help with North Korea, and you have the greatest amount leverage against North Korea. They have leverage against North Korea, and they have leverage against us economically. That part of the reason why the president is not -- not a hat in hand, but very politely asking for this.
VAUSE: Well, obviously, North Korea is not just a big issue for Donald Trump when he is in Beijing. It was a big issue at the previous stop when he was in Seoul, South Korea. He made an address to the national assembly there. He had some very blunt words for the North Korean Leader, Kim Jong-un. And in state media, the North Koreans have fired back. This is their reaction to the president's speech on Tuesday.
"The U.S. must oust the lunatic old man from power and withdraw the hostile policy toward the DPRK," the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, "at once in order to get rid of the abyss of doom." It seems to be a pretty appropriate place to talk about the fallout from last night's elections in the U.S. So, Mo, this has left Democrats smiling for the first time in a year. Just listen to Bernie Sanders.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), VERMONT: Yesterday's elections were really a referendum on the disastrous Trump administration, on his temperament, on his reactionary policies. It was a referendum on Trump, and Trump and Republicans lost.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And very quickly, even some Republicans, maybe not going as far as, you know, Bernie Sanders in that assessment, but believe that this was -- this election result was all about Donald Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. SCOTT TAYLOR (R), VIRGINIA: I think that last night was a referendum. I don't think there's any way you can look at it in a different way.
SEN. ORRIN HATCH (R-UT), PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE: It's not helpful. I'll put it that way. It's not helpful to our agenda.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Mo, if nothing else at this point, Democrats are energized, Republicans are worried. Is president Trump capable of changing the way he approaches in politics so that he can, you know, avoid more of these outcomes? KELLY: There's a lot in there. I don't believe that the president's
going to change much of anything. He is who he is as a person and politician at this point. But I wouldn't say it was a referendum -- that's all the way over here. I think it's more in the middle. It was a good moment for the Democrats. Maybe it's the momentum. We'll see what happens December 12th with Jeff Sessions seat. But at this point, it's just a moment. And if anything, it signified that Charlottesville mattered in Virginia. What happen in New Jersey wasn't all that unexpected. So, let's keep it in its proper context.
VAUSE: Charles?
MORAN: I mean, Chris Christie had a 14 percent approval rating. I mean, that was going to hang on Kim Guadagno's ankles to pull her down like the mobsters, probably, are throwing people over the bridge in New Jersey.
VAUSE: (INAUDIBLE)
[01:10:11] MORAN: And if you look at it, you know, you used clip response therefrom Scott Taylor who just sat there and got barraged because he represents Southern Virginia. He sat there and got all those ads and had to live through that election. You know, again, this is a state that's coming off very popular four years of Terry McAuliffe. And you know, Virginia has such a weird, you know, election. They've got term limits. But again, this is a state that's been Democratic. It trended --
VAUSE: Sure, (INAUDIBLE). We're almost out of time. So, do Republicans run with Trump or do they run away from Trump there? What's the decision here after these results?
MORAN: All politics are local. Every candidate -- you know, there are 23 districts that Republicans hold that voted for Hillary Clinton. Every one of those districts and every one of those legislators is going to have to come up with what their strategy is on how to win their districts. All --
KELLY: We've got to run away from Trump. They don't have a lot of time to get any type of legislative victory. Each day that passes without a legislative victory, they're going to have to run away from that president.
VAUSE: Very quickly, a year since election night, in case you've forgotten, the president tweeted this: "Congratulations to all of the deplorable and the millions of people who gave us a massive 304-227 electoral college landslide victory." Mo, is this an example of the behavior which the president might want to change if he wants to improve his standing in the opinion polls, and, you know, maybe get a second term?
KELLY: He wants to be liked. He appreciates the opinion polls. But he's not going to change who he is, fundamentally. And at this point, the people who are voting against Hillary Clinton or have voted for some sort of change, they were angry then and they're angry now. If they were waiting for something then, they're still waiting for something now. If anything, their impatience has only grown since then.
VAUSE: Quick last words, 30 seconds.
MORAN: At this point, you know, there was a Facebook event, people were going out into the streets today and screaming in the air. Democrats are still talking about 2016; Republicans are still talking about 2016, everybody's talking about 2016.
KELLY: And we're talking about 2016.
VAUSE: But not now; we're done. Mo and Charles, thank you. OK. Kristie Lou Stout joins us now live from Beijing where the U.S. and the Chinese presidents have just finished their remarks at the Great Hall of the People in the past hour. So, Kristie, you know, a lot of goodwill and warm wishes between these two men, but, you know, the big question here is what are the deliverables? What does Donald Trump leave Beijing with and take back to the United States? What does he have to show for this trip?
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, absolutely. In fact, some people are wondering if all he has is Twitter deliverables. Deliverables that he can tweet about as opposed to something that will fundamentally change the playing field for U.S. business interests here. You mentioned that press conference at the Great Hall of the People, that wrapped up about an hour ago and no questions were taken. Apparently, that was a request for the Chinese government: no questions by reporters for these two world leaders.
They did convey that there is this warm relationship, but a number of key differences remain on the issues of North Korea as you discussed with your panel just then, and the issue of trade. And some eyebrow- raising comments from U.S. President Trump just then saying that he was critical of China's trade surplus but he blamed his predecessors. And he also said that he would not blame China for wanting to take advantage of other countries for the benefits of its own citizens.
Now, what does the American Business Community in China make of these comments? Let's bring up James McGregor, he is the Chairman of APCO, Greater China, a long-time resident, and, of course, Representative of Business Interest -- American Business Interest here in China. Thank you so much for joining us, and good to see you again. When you hear Donald Trump make these comments, how does it make you feel?
JAMES MCGREGOR, CHAIRMAN, APCO GREATER CHINA: Well, I think, you know, he admires China for being able to get over in the U.S. for so long because that's how he ran his business interests. He was always -- you know, it was a win -- beat somebody was never mutual, you know, mutual sharing. I think he's seen China take advantage of the U.S., and, but he blames his predecessors also because he's Trump and nothing that came before he could be good. But what this means for the business community is not a lot, it's very worrisome because it looks like they've played him like a fiddle.
STOUT: Well, you're saying Trump is being played by China.
MCGREGOR: Of course, and I feel like I'm back in the '80s or '90s: you bring in somebody, you have the monkey king picking opera; you got the children waving flags. You've got, you know, fancy food and a fancy building, and you overwhelm him with the majesty of historical China and treat him like a king. And I've -- I haven't seen this -- and then, you pile up a bunch of deals.
I mean, that was OK in the old days: you piled up deals because we're building a relationship and we're trying to show we could do business. After Tiananmen, we were showing that things are back on track and we're back in business. Now, we are facing a China that is one of the biggest economies in the world, the fastest-growing economies in the world and has industrial policies in that are very threatening to U.S. interests.
STOUT: Let's look at what Trump could say he has done for U.S. business interests in China. For example, that U.S. beef ban in China that was lifted in May. Isn't that a victory for U.S. business interest here?
[01:15:02] MCGREGOR: Beef was -- beef is baloney, actually. I mean, the beef deal, all right, 14 years they let beef in. Australia already has the market, Australia has a free trade agreement. So, it comes in at about zero tariffs. Ours comes in at a high tariff. Those cows basically have to have a Ph.D. from Harvard to get here because there're so many restrictions on what they eat, what medicines they've had. It's very hard. So, it's not going to build a big market, maybe over ten years it will -- that's a giveaway. That's a giveaway.
STOUT: You've heard that Trump is being played by China, but behind the scenes, what are his subordinates doing to represent business interests here? You were at this dinner last night, the U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross was there, can you tell us just behind the scenes? Take us inside the room, what was being discussed there?
MCGREGOR: Well, it was interesting, because there was a big cocktail with 400 people, and all of the business people that came in and local business people like myself. Some people were very happy; I talked to the governor of Alaska who's just over the moon because Chinese money is saving up $43 billion deal on Alaska LNG that had fallen apart a year ago.
The Boeing people were very happy because they got $37 billion in airplane sales that they signed, you know, today. The undercurrent, though, is that there's going to be some tough trade action coming, that this is kind of a one-two punch. That they're coming here and they're going to be very friendly, then they're going to go back and then come back maybe with the 301-investigation from U.S. trade rep that, you know, allows them to put sanctions on China or put in tariffs against, you know, the transgressions that have happened. Lighthizer, the U.S. Trade Rep, who's kind of the tough guy in this administration, was not in that room. He's not meeting with business people. He's kind of behind the scenes shadowing Trump. I think he's keeping an eye on Trump so he doesn't go squishy like he did in Mar-a- Lago.
STOUT: We need to continue this conversation. We will do that about an hour from now. But James McGregor, we'll leave it at that. Thank you so much. Let's hand it back to John Vause over in L.A. John, back to you.
VAUSE: Kristie, thank you. We'll take a short break. When we come back, inside the mind of a mass killer; a new video purportedly shows the killing spree inside that Texas church. What does it reveal about the shooter and his motives?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has met with victim's families and survivors of that mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas. 25 people and an unborn child were killed when a gunman opened fire at the Baptist Church on Sunday. Pence attended a prayer service and promise to address the failures that allowed a man with a criminal record and a violent past to legally purchase a gun.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE PENCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We will find out why this information was not properly reported in 2012. And we will work with leaders in Congress to ensure that this never happens again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: The first Baptist church is planning to have services this Sunday at a community center next door. That's despite losing half of its congregation in that mass shooting.
[01:20:03] Laura Richards joins us now, she's a Criminal Behavior Analyst. Good to have you here with us, because there's this new reporting out now about a video which has emerged inside the church. They used to send their services out on YouTube. So, this is part of what the New York Times is reporting, and a warning for anybody there, this is fairly graphic. So, if you've got kids in the room best maybe to get them out.
"For several minutes he fired quickly, pausing only to reload, methodically shooting his terrified victims including small children in the head, execution style." So, he didn't just spray it randomly, he was methodical. So, what does that say about this sort of frame of mind, what was driving him to do all of this?
LAURA RICHARDS, CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR ANALYST: Well, this was a very planned and controlled event, and it was very methodical. So, whereas other people have reported on is this saying that this is about rage and about anger, actually, no. This is about someone taking control, and this is always the essence of what domestic violence is about this coercive control. And we see individuals like this controlling and being abusive to their partners. And, of course, they can also be controlling and abusive and violent to others outside the home.
VAUSE: But controlling what and why?
RICHARDS: Well, controlling behavior.
VAUSE: Right.
RICHARDS: So, this is the type of person who needs to be seen as an authority, and he wants to feel powerful. So, all these little leakages will happen in his day-to-day experiences and encounters with other people. So, there were reports about him as a security guard. Always wanting to kind of feel powerful and have his authority and have his voice heard. But he also did that to all the women he had relationships with. And let's not forget the domestic violence, the coercive control on his partner, so controlling and micromanaging them. And the child abuse, where he almost killed his son and also beat and abused very violently a dog. And these are all hallmarks of serious harm and homicide, very dangerous and risky behaviors.
VAUSE: It is a common thread through a lot of the mass shootings. Some of the survivors have reportedly said that children who cried or actually were begging for help were specifically targeted. What would drive that kind of hatred, if you like?
RICHARDS: Well, it's something that is within him to feel that he needs to be more powerful. So, powerless people, in my experience, would always try and take the power back. So, anything or anybody who comes against or over and above his authority. Bearing in mind, he planned this. So, he went in there knowing exactly what he was going to do. He wants to be memorialized; this is all about him taking control and him leaving what he feels is a powerful legacy.
VAUSE: So, what sort of event in his past would you be looking for as a kind of trigger for this urge, sort of, control to be, you know, the man who controls the situation?
RICHARDS: Well, we know most of these mass shootings, nine out of 10 of the deadliest of shootings, i.e. the higher the body counts, nine out of 10 there was a history of domestic violence. And so, what we tend to see when you look back into a psychological autopsy of that individual, and I'm intentionally not naming any of those individuals because they try and be memorialized. But when you look back at their history, there tends to be domestic abuse in their childhood too.
So, from the ages of zero to 3-years of age is when you can get the propensity to become violent. And so, relationships -- every relationship and encounter you would expect to see this person. And in particular, in this case, we know that when he was younger, he was abusive to young girls, a 13-year-old girl, where he was stalking her and abusing her. So, it's normally about them having some form of mistreatment to -- done unto them. But that's not an excuse because there are lots of people who do experience trauma in childhood --
VAUSE: And they don't become mass shooters.
RICHARDS: And they don't go on to become domestic violence offenders, either.
VAUSE: It's also believed, as stated earlier, he'd been out socializing with the very same group of people who would be in that church on Sunday. How do you put those two events together? RICHARDS: Well, he probably knew for some time, he'd been ruminating
about this in his head, and it's probably something that made him feel powerful. Even socializing with those people on the day, knowing full well what he was going to do. You know, this wasn't about explosive rage, this is somebody biding their time. This is somebody being exacting and enjoying those moments. And he probably didn't have a plan for how he's going to get out of it. I mean, actually, most will do suicide by cop or kill themselves. And they want to go out, you know, excuse the pun, but with a big bang, and the legacy is obviously 26 people and many others injured in the attack.
VAUSE: He did apparently enter the church saying "you're all about to die", "we're all going to die" or something like that. So, clearly, you know, being with those people one day, and then say that the next is pretty hard --
RICHARDS: And he has the power, doesn't he? And it's about him taking the power and control.
VAUSE: Choosing the time and place.
RICHARDS: And that's what these kinds of cases are about.
VAUSE: Lauren, thanks so much. Good to see you. We appreciate it.
RICHARDS: Thank you.
[01:25:06] VAUSE: OK. To the Russia investigation now. You may not know his face, but he could be the professor, the mystery academic who may be a linked between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin, suggesting possible dirt on Hillary Clinton, Nic Robertson has this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Professor Joseph Mifsud, a middle-aged Maltese lecturer on diplomacy, (INAUDIBLE) of foreign contact, (INAUDIBLE) and the FBI, Saturday, did against Candidate Trump's former Forum Policy Advisor George Papadopoulos, just disappeared, laying low. He was last seen around Rome's Link University where he was working three days after the affidavit was unsealed. The FBI affidavit alleges in the spring of 2016: Mifsud told Papadopoulos that the Russian's had thousands of e-mails relating to Clinton.
The day before he disappeared, Mifsud told the Italian magazine La Republica: "Papadopoulos' claim was baloney. I absolutely exclude the fact that I spoke of secrets regarding Hillary Clinton," he told them. Yet, it appears the flight directly in the face of what a former associate of his told CNN that Mifsud drag to him, that the Russians had a bunch of stuff on Hillary right around the same time that Mifsud was meeting with Papadopoulos mid-April last year.
The associate says that Mifsud appears to enjoy being the center of attention. Indeed, Mifsud has been getting a lot of attention from the Russians for several years. Photographed here, with the Russian ambassador to London in 2014, whom he introduced Papadopoulos, too, days after he'd become an advisor to Trump. Mifsud was a participant in the Kremlin-connected Valdai Club, attending conferences in Russia, occasionally given speaking roles -- often reserved for low-qualifying delegates.
It was following Valdai Club engagement in Moscow, April 19th, last year, that Papadopoulos alleges Mifsud told him the Russians had dirt on Hillary. The FBI affidavit states: "The Russian government and its security and intelligence services frequently make use of non- governmental intermediaries to achieve their foreign policy objectives. That description of non-governmental intermediary does appear to fit Mifsud. His former associate says that Mifsud's proclivity for self-aggrandizement, name-dropping, and passing pretty much anything he was told could have led him to be used as a go- between.
Until Mifsud hit the headlines last week, his career had been unremarkable in the extreme with a checked professional track record. However, Mifsud's credentials were enough for him to be offered a teaching position at the University of Sterling in Scotland. Since being dragged into the limelight as a controversial link to possible Russian (INAUDIBLE), Mifsud has become an object of ridicule in Russia. One T.V. host calling him a retired bottom-feeder diplomat. For many Russia watchers, such character assassination is suspicious and further clouds Mifsud's already shaky reputation. Nic Robertson, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Well, next on NEWSROOM L.A., we'll head back to Beijing. So far, more smiles and kind words from the U.S. president, but does that mean he'll be able to get the U.S.-China relationship back on track?
[01:28:41] Also, ahead, the star and creator of the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton, has big plans to revitalize Puerto Rico's economy devastated by Hurricane Maria. Those details, also in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: Welcome back, everybody. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM live from Los Angeles. I'm John Vause with the headline this hour. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence met with the victims' families and survivors of the Texas church shooting.
He also spoke at a press service. The vice president promised to look at how the shooter was allowed to buy a gun despite his criminal record and violent past. The U.S. government is once again restricting Americans traveling to Cuba. Now only travel sponsored by certain U.S. based groups will be allowed.
Officials say the change has been to encourage Cuba to get stable greater freedoms. Cuba says that these sanctions (INAUDIBLE) U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to wrap his second and final day in China before heading to Vietnam. Along with the Chinese President Xi Jinping, he's spent Thursday discussing areas of mutual concern including North Korea and trade. They then appeared before journalist to make joint statements promising to continue to work on improving bilateral relations. Later President Trump and his wife will attend a lavish state dinner. (INAUDIBLE) Kristie Lu Stout live in Beijing. Lavish seems to be the word to describe this state trip.
LU STOUT: Oh, absolutely, especially given the vision that we saw yesterday. And there's going to be another state dinner tonight that will likely be lavish as well. But it's not all (INAUDIBLE) and sightseeing for President Trump here in Beijing. He and President Xi had an important business done.
They attended a business gathering to oversee the signing of numerous trade deals. Fifteen agreements were signed as they watched totaling more than 250 billion dollars. And Matt Rivers is here in Beijing. He joins us now.
And Matt, we know that a number of lucrative deals will be announced here in China between U.S. and China. And this will give U.S. President Donald Trump a number of headlines, deliverables that he craves. But what about the fundamental trade issues between these two countries? Like, the trade deficit, how is that going to be addressed?
MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we didn't really get in the specifics or the president rather didn't get into specifics when discussing the ongoing trade deficit between the United States and China and specifically how he plans to address that and make it what he would want to call a more leveled playing field. You know, the president as a candidate for office was incredibly harsh against China. At one point he accused China of raping the U.S. economically.
And China was a constant target for him on the campaign and yet, what you've seen since he came into office is a much more measured tone when talking about China and part of that is likely to do with his personal relationship with Xi Jinping. They had met three times in person, and they had spoke on the phone nearly ten separate times. And they do appear to have some warm chemistry when speaking with one another.
And you could hear the changing tone from the president, especially when you compare it to the campaign trail with what he said today at that gathering in business leaders for those agreements that were signed. He talked about how the U.S. and China have problems with trade, but he wouldn't explicitly blame China. Let's take a listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Right now, unfortunately, it is a very one-sided and unfair one, but, but I don't blame China. After all, who can blame a country for being able to take advantage of another country for the benefit of its citizens? I give China great credit. But in actuality, I do blame past administrations for allowing this out of control trade deficit to take place and to grow. (END VIDEO CLIP)
[01:35:06] RIVERS: And, you know, and what you're hearing there is the president blaming past administrations for this trade deficit and not China. That is a big change from what we've heard from this president as a candidate and his early days in office, Kristie, and that could very well be attributed to the relationship that he has created with the Chinese President Xi Jinping.
LU STOUT: Yes, absolutely, especially after following months of Donald Trump hitting so much praise on China and Xi Jinping. A question for you now about North Korea because in opportunity that Donald Trump gets to speak during this Asia tour he is bringing up North Korea and what he wants to see China do next. Namely to do more to isolate North Korea, but is China willing shift this policy? Is it willing to push harder?
RIVERS: Yes, well, so far, no. We didn't hear anything specific either from the U.S. side or the Chinese side in terms of making progress on solving the North Korea crisis. What you did hear from both sides is exactly what you've heard for a very long time. China says the only way forward is through dialogue, is through cooperation between all relevant parties as they put it. And the United States and President Trump today saying that President Xi can quickly and easily solve this problem.
And he is convinced that if President Xi really put his mind to it that he could solve this problem. Those are all things that we've heard before. What we were looking for on this trip was, was something new going to come out? Will the U.S. convince the Chinese side to take the kind of angles that they want and really put that kind of economic leverage on Pyongyang that the Trump Administration has been looking for?
Look, the trip is not over. There could be more things that are brought out but in terms of specifics that have been announced so far, it appears that the stalemate that exit -- that has existed between the U.S. and China when it comes to the best way to solve North Korea is still very much in place, Kristie.
LU STOUT: All right. Matt Rivers reporting. Thank you, Matt. As Matt said this extended trip definitely not over yet, John. We know that the U.S. president is having meetings with the Chinese (INAUDIBLE) later in the day, he is scheduled for a meet and greet at the U.S. embassy and then a state dinner, so another opportunity for China to roll off the red carpet. Back to you.
VAUSE: Bigly by the sounds of things. Thank you, Kristie. Well, the British Prime Minister is having a no-good, very bad, terrible week dealing with scandal after scandal, basic question. How much worst could he get?
It all started with her defense minister stepping down amidst a sexual harassment scandal. Many more lawmakers are being investigated for alleged misconduct. Then a comment from the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson could make life a whole lot worst for a British Iranian woman currently jailed in Tehran on charges of espionage. He said she had been (INAUDIBLE) journalism there that contradicts the accounts from both her and her employer.
And that can mean a longer prison sentence. On Wednesday, the (INAUDIBLE) cabinet minister was forced to resign after secret meetings with senior Israeli officials. Priti Patel said her actions fell below her own standards of transparency. She offered a (INAUDIBLE) apology and then she resigned.
Joining me out here in Los Angeles, you -- excuse me, I am drying here. Could (INAUDIBLE) my apologies. "European Affairs" Commentator, Dominic Thomas. OK.
The only person with worst day than Theresa May (INAUDIBLE) OK. You know, as they say, to lose one cabinet administer may be regarded as unfortunate, to lose another looks careless. And along with all the other (INAUDIBLE) going on there is this perception that, you know, she is no longer in control of this government.
DOMINIC THOMAS, EUROPEAN AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Right, and "The daily mirror" newspaper has not missed the opportunity to play on the name of the administer, the Secretary of State for International Development whose name is Priti Patel to run the headline this morning which is Priti shambolic, right? So it's really just sort of answering to the fact that, you know, did Theresa May know, yes or no, that this minister, the Secretary of State had been meeting with these officials? Most likely, no.
And if she didn't, then it shows that she really has no control or the foreign office doesn't seem to know what its members of staff and -- are doing. And if she did know, then, why didn't she dismiss her outright and let it go on all this time?
VAUSE: Look, the -- what I've been reading is that essentially she has six weeks, it's make or break, after that (INAUDIBLE) to turn this around. The only thing really going in her favor right now is that no one else really wants the job.
THOMAS: Exactly.
VAUSE: And then she's sort of in charge of the Brexit negotiations and there's going to be meeting coming up in December.
THOMAS: Right. And all of this is a distraction and Brexit is a distraction because what the government is supposed to be doing is running the country. And so they're either distracted by Brexit and by the trials and tribulations of trying to sort of negotiate this deal with an extremely divided cabinet and administration. And arguably -- as I said before, the only thing that really keeps them together is the fear that they will completely collapse and there will be another election and that they will hand over power to the Labour Party.
And as you just said, nobody wants to be in the seat. Most likely be on the six weeks even until this Brexit negotiation come to an end. Then there will be a vicious leadership struggle as they try and make it to the next three years and go up against Labour in 2021 if she's even able to survive that long.
[01:40:03] VAUSE: Right. Well, over at Madame Tussauds, they, you know, they're moving on with their wax-like figure of Theresa May. There's a joke going around as how will England be able to tell the difference between the two. You know, the smiled seems pretty pained on the wax figure, but, you know, how does she turn this around and what can she do? She's got the budget coming up in a couple of weeks.
That's sort of one positive stress point that she can maybe keep in her favor.
THOMAS: It's a distraction but I think what she has to do now is obviously replace Patel and that's going to be important. It's already -- because, you know, some controversy around the replacement of the defense secretary and because she's picked somebody who was in the "Remain" campaign. And so, of course, the big division in her cabinet is over the hardcore Brexiteers and those that are occupying this position or power that trying to negotiate Brexit.
But on themselves, you know, votes to -- for Remain. So this is a complicated thing, and clearly, she has up until the next meeting of the EU Council is to try and get to the point where she can convince a cabinet to go back to the European Union with this divorced deal. That will be acceptable to the EU and that will allow the negotiations to then move ahead. And of course, that's the -- that's the thing that's going to get her is that they don't want to hand over this money.
VAUSE: How did she go from being compared to Margaret Thatcher to being more like Lord North?
THOMAS: Well, and arguably, you can argue the most, you know, unsuccessful, you know, administration in the history, you know, of this administration in the United Kingdom. I mean, it's just being -- I think really going all the way back to Brexit when David Cameron stepped down, the fact that Theresa May who at the time had been, you know, in the Remain camp then took over to shepherd through a process that deep down may have been believed in was problematic. And secondly, the whole argument around the Brexit issue is that this is the product of a manipulated electorate that were taken down this particular path that clearly and unambiguously is a no real benefit to Great Britain.
And they're struggling to sort of define this and to argue for something that many people don't really fundamentally believe in.
VAUSE: Yes. And it all goes back to that one point of the Brexit when Cameron did that throw in line I'll have a referendum.
THOMAS: Exactly.
VAUSE: OK. Dominic, it's good to see you.
THOMAS: And now we're (INAUDIBLE) thank you.
VAUSE: Well, it has been seven weeks since hurricane Maria made landfall on Puerto Rico and the island's residents are still struggling to recover. The darkest colors on this map show where most of the powers are up and running. Puerto Rico's leaders say that 42 percent of power has now being restored but they don't say how much of it is actually reaching homes, school, hospitals.
But (INAUDIBLE) all of this out of Puerto Rico is grim, the creator of the hit Broadway musical Hamilton is returning for an on-call series of the performances on the island. Lin-Manuel Miranda left the (INAUDIBLE) production back in July but says he will reprise his starring role as Alexander Hamilton January 29 for a limited run. He tweeted this, "Bit of a day. I have a year and a bit to remember the words."
Miranda is of Puerto Rican descent and wants to help send the message to the world that the island will recover and becomes stronger in the wake of the hurricane.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA, HAMILTON COMPOSER AND ACTOR: I'm jumping back in and I'll be playing Hamilton for those three weeks. And I want you to know what a priority is to raise money for Puerto Rico while we are here. How important it is for tickets to be available to Puerto Ricans on the island. We're going to be doing this thing where we're trying to attract tourism.
Hey, come see Lin-Manuel in Hamilton. But we're also making sure prioritizing tickets at a rate that Puerto Ricans on the island can afford to see it and see it every night so that thousands of students, thousands of Puerto Ricans can see the show.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And it's January 29th, 2019 so a couple of years from now -- no, January 29th, I'm never (INAUDIBLE) Hamilton will run at the University of Puerto Rico's theater in San Juan. Thank you for joining us, I'm John Vause in Los Angeles. "WORLD SPORT" is up next. I might be back at the top of the hour, we'll see.
[01:45:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KATE RILEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Welcome, everyone, to WORLD SPORT. I'm Kate Riley at CNN Center. We are now counting down to the huge weekend of World Cup qualifying action, ahead of next year's tournament in Russia. There are 23 nations who already know they will be there. However, there are still nine places up for grabs. And yes, that means all the drama and nerve-jangling excitement of two- legged playoffs.
We start down under with a look ahead to this week's intercontinental World Cup playoffs between New Zealand and Peru. And after a daylong journey of over 6-1/2 thousand miles Peru's national team has now arrived in New Zealand as the South American nation looks to qualify for its first World Cup since Spain '82. The build-up to this match has been overshadowed by the fact that Peruvians will likely be without their all-time leading scorer and captain Paolo Guerrero, who's been handed a provisional 30-day suspension for an alleged doping violation over the weekend, with his lawyers saying to be frantically working on an appeal. The Peruvians, though, feel they still have a great chance of advancing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RENATO TAPIA, MIDFIELDER, PERU NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM: It's going to be tough. New Zealand is a really strong team. But they also have to go through Peru, so it going to be -- if it's going to be tough, it is going to be more tough in Peru. So, yes, you never know what is going to happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RILEY: All right. Well, in Europe, there are now four nations from a total of eight who will book their place in Russia next year as four- time world champions Italy, look to overcome Sweden over the course of two legs. Meantime, a big night ahead on Thursday in Belfast when Northern Ireland to take on Switzerland in their first leg encounter. Before the return game on Sunday, it's a match that will see the host captain Southampton's Steven Davis, earning his 100th international cap, as Northern Ireland look to make a statement on home soil.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL O'NEILL, COACH, NORTHERN IRELAND NATIONAL TEAM: This is a real opportunity for us. I think that, you know, it gives us a real opportunity to have a foothold in the tie. We have to take that, you know, we have to balance that with a little bit of caution as well. But I do think that we need to approach it with -- in mind that it's a big night here, and we have to make a big night and we need a big performance here as well. Yes, the tie is made over two legs but this is our opportunity to really, you know, put our front foot forward and give ourselves, you know, that strong possession going into the second leg in Switzerland.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RILEY: In Africa, there are only three spots still up for grabs as the 20 nations play their final group games. And perhaps the pick of the matches, Ivory Coast, with just two wins from their last seven since Belgium manager Marc Wilmots took over, need to beat Morocco on Saturday to qualify for a fourth successive World Cup finals.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SALOMON KALOU, MIDFIELDER, IVORY COAST NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM (through translator): We always had difficult qualifications. This is nothing new. I think that the pressure is on the Moroccan side because it has been a long time that they didn't take part in a World Cup. We went to the last three World Cups, so we don't need to put pressure on ourselves. If we went on Saturday, we will be qualified for the World Cup, so the pressure is on the Moroccan side.
(END VIDEO CLIP) RILEY: But it's been a frustrating 2017 for the Scottish tennis star Andy Murray in terms of injuries, at least. Now in other areas of his life, though, why this three-time Grand Slam champion is celebrating quite literally bundles of joy right now.
[01:50:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
RILEY: Welcome back to the show. She is a two-time Grand Slam singles champion, but when it comes to playing team tennis for her country, Belarus's Victoria Azarenka has never made any secret of just how much that actually means to her. The two-time Australian Open winner won't get the chance to do just that, though, as her compatriots take on the United States without her in this weekend's Fed Cup final in her homeland as well.
Azarenka, who hasn't played since July, says she's unwilling to leave the U.S. until the future of her 10-month-old son is resolved, and she tweeted, "It is heartbreaking for me not to have a chance to play and help Belarus in the final, but unfortunately, my current custody situation is keeping me in California."
The British tennis star Andy Murray has become a father again after his wife, Kim, gave birth to a baby girl. The news comes as Murray himself was attending a tennis charity event in his native Scotland. It was there where he faced the Swiss legend, Roger Federer. It's the first time the three-time Grand Slam champ has played in public since suffering a hip injury earlier this year. Murray hasn't been seen in competitive action since losing to America's Sam Querrey at Wimbledon back in the summer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDY MURRAY, BRITISH TENNIS PLAYER: And I've been training for a few weeks now. You know, some days I felt great, some days, you know, not so good. But I'm getting there, and, you know, I will come back when I'm ready and like Roger said when I'm 100 percent fit. I made, you know, probably a bit of mistake trying to get ready for the U.S. Open but it was the last major of the year and I wanted to give it a go, and that's trying to, you know, get my body the rest and recovery that it needs. And I'll come back when I'm ready.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RILEY: One tournament Murray definitely won't be playing in is the ATP Tour finals, which starts on Sunday in England. The Scot won the event last year but with him not being able to compete this time around, we're guaranteed a new winner. Could it possibly be the young American Jack Sock, who we wonder who qualified for the prestigious London event following his surprise and hard-fought win at the recent Paris Masters? Well, earlier, he spoke with our Alex Thomas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACK SOCK, AMERICAN TENNIS PLAYER: Lost the first set, so you know, it wasn't the best start for me. But I just hung in there, you know, kept my nose down, and was able to turn it around, and as you can see there it was -- big thanks to my team, my coach there. I'm hugging them, my physio and then my girlfriend who's, you know, a trooper, been traveling with me for a bunch of weeks now. So, it was a great finish to the season.
ALEX THOMAS, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: You were outside the top 20 in the race for London before that, you rocketed up -- rocketed up to ninth. And then with Stan Wawrinka's injury, you are part of that final eight. Did you really believe you could qualify because you'd come from so far out?
SOCK: I honestly had no idea going into the tournament that I was still, you know, mathematically able to make it in but after I won my second match there which was the third round, they said, you know, if you're able to win the tournament and XYZ happened, you know, you can still make the -- you can make London. So, like I said, I kind of put my nose down, once again, and played, you know, point by point, went through every match.
THOMAS: Maybe that helped.
SOCK: Yes. I think so. Actually, it was -- yes, it was good motivation, you know, still far away when I heard it for the first time, but you know, now here I am able to stay here in London.
THOMAS: The draw for London has just been made in the last hour. And let's show our viewers, you're in the Boris Becker group. I think with Federer, Zverev, and Marin Cilic, how do you feel about that?
SOCK: Yes, played all of them before. You know, Roger's gotten me every time like a lot of players, but, you know, I guess, I open with him on Sunday.
[01:55:02] So, you know, I obviously have to play some great tennis to try to win that one, but played Cilic, played Zverev, got wins, you know, over both of them but obviously, you know, they're all -- there's top eight guys here, you know, for a reason, everyone is playing some --
(CROSSTALK)
THOMAS: But also what happened in Paris. I guess you now believe more than ever anything is possible.
SOCK: Yes, 100 percent. You know, I went into my first round in Paris, I was down 5-1 in the third set, was able to turn that around and, you know, hoist the trophy at the end. And so -- yes, I mean, anything's possible. I'm going to come in this week, play some free tennis, you know, sneak into the last spot and really enjoy it and, you know, see what happens.
THOMAS: You're the first American into the (INAUDIBLE) ATP World Tour finals since Mardy Fish in 2011. Do you feel the pressure of carrying the flag for your country?
SOCK: Not necessarily, no. I mean, like I said, I wasn't -- didn't expect to be, you know, in this position to be here in London playing. So I'm going to go out there and really enjoy it and have fun. My daddy --
THOMAS: You're already following the footsteps of the likes of Andy Roddick, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors.
SOCK: Yes, I mean, obviously a lot of tennis greats and legends coming from the U.S. but I'm, you know, I'm happy to be a part of it. I hope, you know, in the future there's a group of Americans out here, you know, playing in the Masters in the year-end finals. So, yes, I mean, I'm thankful and blessed it's me, you know, to be here and playing, you know, this next week, but yes, hopefully, there's a group of us, you know, striving and can get to -- get to here.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RILEY: And we wish Jack all the best. That brings this edition of WORLD SPORT to a close. Before we leave you, though, we're going to give you a preview of the penultimate event of golf's European Tour in South Africa this week, where Sweden's Alex Noren is the defending champion. Here's our "ROLEX MINUTE."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nestled in the cradle of an extinct volcano in South Africa, a field brimming with Major winners, former world number ones, and past tournament champions, will tee off on Thursday at the Nedbank Golf Challenge. Known as Africa's Major, the unique setting ensures a special fondness to 2012 winner Martin Kaymer.
MARTIN KAYMER, GERMAN PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: South Africa needs a really big tournament because they deserve one. But this place, for me, obviously I have a very good experience here, very good memories, and it's just a different atmosphere. You know, you play on a golf course here and 200, 300 yards away there's a wildlife, it's crazy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But with an exhilarating location comes tougher tests.
KAYMER: Obviously, it's always a key to know how hard the ball really flies and work with the altitude and the ball flies very far, I think you need -- really need to use the Par 5s, and you need to drive as well. As long as you hit the fairway it's OK. Sometimes from the rough, it's very difficult to judge the distances. Coming from the rough with the altitude it was always very tough.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
