U.S. President Donald Trump began his fast-paced Asian tour on Sunday, announcing a series of trade agreements in Malaysia and participating in the signing of an expanded ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, which he had mediated in July.
Within six hours of arriving in Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN Summit, Trump:
- Announced trade deals with four countries,
- Met with regional leaders, and
- Held talks with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, agreeing that their teams would immediately begin discussions on trade tariffs.
Trump expressed confidence that he would reach an agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of their scheduled Thursday meeting, while top trade officials from both sides met in Kuala Lumpur and agreed on a framework for a trade deal.
The highlight of Trump’s Sunday was the signing of a deal between Cambodia and Thailand, building on a ceasefire he helped broker, which earned him a Nobel Peace Prize nomination from Cambodia. During a ceremony with leaders from both countries, Trump emphasized the U.S. commitment to peace:
“My administration immediately began working to prevent the escalation of conflict. Everyone was somewhat surprised we achieved this so quickly.”
Trump was greeted ceremonially in Malaysia and briefly danced on the red carpet with local performers.
Meanwhile, U.S. and Chinese negotiators met alongside the summit to prevent further escalation of the U.S.–China trade war. They established a preliminary consensus, creating a positive context for the upcoming Trump-Xi meeting in South Korea during the APEC Summit.
Both sides are working to avoid escalation after Trump threatened 100% tariffs on Chinese goods starting November 1, in retaliation for China’s export restrictions on rare minerals.
Within hours of arriving in Malaysia, Trump and the White House announced six trade agreements with four countries, including rare mineral agreements with Thailand and Malaysia, aiming to compete with Beijing in this fast-growing sector. Malaysia pledged not to impose restrictions or quotas on rare mineral exports to the U.S.
Detailed trade frameworks were also announced with Cambodia and Thailand, and the U.S. reached an agreement with Vietnam to give exporters from both countries “unprecedented” access to each other’s markets. Tariff rates were set at 19% for most exports from Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia, and 20% for Vietnam, with possible reductions for certain products.
Addressing Southeast Asian leaders, Trump said:
“Our message to the nations of Southeast Asia is that the United States is 100% with you and aims to be a strong partner for generations to come.”
Additionally, Brazilian President Lula will aim to reduce U.S. tariffs on Brazilian goods by 50%, with both sides’ teams meeting immediately to advance solutions.
In a historic moment, Timor-Leste (East Timor) gained full ASEAN membership, ending a 14-year wait and marking a milestone for the young nation of 1.4 million people. Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao called it “not just a dream fulfilled, but a strong affirmation of our journey.”
