Kuala Lumpur: US President Donald Trump attended the signing ceremony of an expanded ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the first stop on his Asia tour, which could include talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
According to United Nations, Thailand and Cambodia signed an expanded ceasefire agreement attended by Trump, whose economic pressure threats pushed the nations to halt skirmishes along their disputed border earlier this year. As part of the agreement, Thailand will release Cambodian prisoners, and Cambodia will start withdrawing heavy artillery. Regional observers will monitor to prevent the resumption of fighting.
Trump is expected to sign agreements with Malaysia involving trade and critical minerals later in the day. The US is working to expand its supply chains to rely less on China, which has limited exports of key components in technology manufacturing.
The president attended this summit only once during his first term, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seemed unfamiliar with ASEAN during his confirmation hearing in January. However, this year’s event presents Trump with an opportunity to play a global peacemaker.
The conflict between Thailand and Cambodia in July resulted in dozens of deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. Trump threatened to withhold trade agreements unless the fighting stopped, using economic leverage credited with spurring negotiations. A shaky truce has persisted since then.
After the expanded ceasefire agreement was signed, Trump inked separate economic deals with Cambodia and Thailand. Ou Virak, president of Phnom Penh’s Future Forum think tank, noted that Trump’s use of tariffs was significant in prompting the ceasefire agreement.
Trump has been campaigning for the Nobel Peace Prize, continuously adding to a list of conflicts he claims to have resolved. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim praised the agreement, emphasizing that reconciliation is an act of courage.
Thai foreign ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura described the deal as a joint declaration renewing relations between Thailand and Cambodia, stating that the work has just begun.
Trump is also expected to meet Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Kuala Lumpur but not Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, due to tensions over a Canadian ad protesting his tariffs. Trump subsequently announced a tariff hike on Canada.
Another trade war, with China, is a focal point of Trump’s trip. He expressed optimism about his upcoming meeting with Xi in South Korea, aiming for progress on issues like fentanyl trafficking and soybean sales.
Trump remains confident about finalizing trade agreements with Japan and South Korea. He shared his optimism with reporters traveling with him on Air Force One, despite details about the agreements being scarce.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be present at the summit. Although Modi had a close relationship with Trump during his first term, recent tensions arose after Trump boasted about settling a conflict between India and Pakistan and increased tariffs on India for buying Russian oil.