U.S. President Donald Trump and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet shake hands during the signing of the Cambodia-Thailand Peace Agreement at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center on October 26, 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Andrew Harnik | Getty Images News | Getty Images
US President Donald Trump will arrive in Malaysia on Sunday for the ASEAN summit, where he will witness the expansion of a cease-fire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia and oversee crucial trade negotiations.
President Trump’s first mission at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit will be to oversee a ceasefire agreement between Cambodia and Thailand, after helping broker an end to a dangerous five-day border conflict in July.
The agreement builds on a cease-fire agreement signed three months ago after President Trump called the then-leaders of both countries and urged them to cease hostilities or risk having their trade negotiations with the United States on hold.
Both sides have recently accused each other of launching a five-day exchange of rockets and heavy artillery that left at least 48 people dead and an estimated 300,000 temporarily displaced in the deadliest fighting in history.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was unable to sign the deal in time to sign the deal following the death of the kingdom’s Queen Mother Sirikit on Friday, but later decided to fly to the ceremony.
Upon landing at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, President Trump was greeted by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and a troupe of ceremonial dancers. He stopped on the red carpet to dance with the performers, then hopped into a limousine and headed into the city with Anwar, holding an American flag in one hand and a Malaysian flag in the other.
trade agreement
U.S. and Chinese negotiators will be on the sidelines to avoid further escalation of the trade war between the world’s two largest economies as President Trump mingles with other leaders.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamison Greer, responding to a reporter’s question whether rare earths were discussed during talks that began Saturday, said a wide range of topics were discussed, including extending the ceasefire on trade measures.
“I think we’re getting to the point where the leaders can have very productive talks,” Guria said.
Trump will also discuss the steep U.S. tariffs with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who will be one of several world leaders attending the weekend summit.
Lula said he would argue that the 50 percent tariffs the United States imposed on Brazilian goods were a “mistake,” citing the U.S. trade surplus with Brazil, which amounted to $410 billion over 15 years. During his trip to Asia, President Trump signaled that he was open to lowering tariffs.
New ASEAN Member States
Asia’s youngest country, Timor-Leste, on Sunday became the 11th member of the ASEAN bloc, realizing a vision laid out by its current president nearly half a century ago when it was a Portuguese colony.
The country of 1.4 million, also known as Timor-Leste, is one of Asia’s poorest countries and hopes to benefit from the integration of the roughly $2 billion emerging economy, which is only a fraction of ASEAN’s overall gross domestic product of $3.8 trillion.
Timor-Leste’s accession comes after 14 years of waiting, and while no major changes are expected from its accession, it represents a symbolic victory for President José Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, heroes of the independence struggle.
