Trump offers to mediate on South China Sea

President Donald Trump, center, attends the bilateral talk with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang at the Presidential Palace, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017, in Hanoi, Vietnam. Trump is on a five country trip through Asia traveling to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. AP/Andrew Harnik

HANOI, Vietnam — President Donald Trump is offering to serve as a mediator on the South China Sea territorial disputes as he meets with the president of Vietnam.

Trump is telling President Tran Dai Quang he knows Vietnam has had a dispute with China over the strategic waterways.

Trump says he's a "very good mediator and a very good arbitrator" and willing to help.

Trump was speaking to Quang at the start of their meetings in Hanoi. Trump says North Korea "continues to be a problem" and he's hopeful that Chinese President Xi Jinping will "be a tremendous help." Trump says he also hopes that Russia will "be a tremendous help."

Trump says they'll also talk about trade. He says the U.S. will "be treated fairly," adding, "past administrations didn't understand trade."

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