Trump departs for Asia trip, to attend ASEAN summit and meet China's Xi Jinping

Washington [US], October 25 : US President Donald Trump on Friday departed for his Asia trip, where he will visit Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea.

The three-nation tour will begin in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where Trump is scheduled to attend the ASEAN Summit before proceeding to Japan and South Korea. At the conclusion of the tour, he is set to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the White House said.

White House Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday that Trump will meet Xi on the morning of October 30 in South Korea before returning to Washington.

Trump is expected to arrive in Malaysia on Sunday (October 26) morning. Malaysia is currently chairing the annual meetings of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its partners. He will attend the ASEAN Summit on October 26-27, marking his first participation since skipping the summits in 2018, 2019, and 2020.

During his time in Kuala Lumpur, Trump will hold an expanded bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday afternoon. He is also slated to participate in a signing ceremony with the Prime Ministers of Cambodia and Thailand, whose countries engaged in a brief border conflict in July that left dozens dead and displaced many people.

Later, he will join a working dinner with US-ASEAN leaders.

The White House highlighted that the trip will cover trade talks, peace dialogues, and discussions on US-China tensions. After Malaysia, Trump will travel to Japan to meet the new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, where they will discuss trade agreements and security cooperation.

Following Japan, Trump will visit South Korea to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in Gyeongju. He will meet President Lee Jae Myung and address business leaders, reinforcing US engagement with the region.

The crucial bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping will focus on trade tensions, rare earth exports, and fentanyl cooperation.

Through these engagements, Trump aims to negotiate favourable trade agreements, reduce tariffs, and boost US exports, with his return to Asia potentially redefining regional trade and diplomacy.

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