 "US President Donald Trump arrives in Malaysia and is greeted by Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. X")
US President Donald Trump arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Sunday to kick start his Asia tour. During his trip to Malaysia, he will attend the 47th Asean Summit and related meetings. According to Free Malaysia Today, Trump landed in Kuala Lumpur at 9:35 am (local time) and was greeted by the country’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The president received a warm welcome at the airport, witnessing cultural performances with dancers waving the national flags of Malaysia and the US. It is pertient to note that Trump is participating in the Asean Summit for the first time since 2017. It is also Trump’s first trip to Asia since he returned to the White House.
The last time an American president attended a regional summit was back in 2022, when former US President Joe Biden attended the Asean summit. During his time in Kuala Lumpur, Trump is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with the Malaysian president. He will also join a working lunch with Southeast Asian leaders.
What’s more in store?
As this year’s Asean chair, Malaysia has set “Inclusivity and Sustainability” as the theme for the summit. Meanwhile, the White House noted that during his Asia tour, Trump will witness the signing of a peace declaration between Thailand and Cambodia. The deal brokered by Trump was agreed upon by the two nations earlier this year, marking an end to the deadly conflict in the region.
The Republican firebrand will then depart from Malaysia on Monday morning for a one-day visit to Japan, where he will meet the country’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Before arriving in Kuala Lumpur, Trump had already held a phone call with Takaichi, reaffirming strong ties between Japan and the US.
He will then head to South Korea, where he will attend the Apec Summit. During his trip to South Korea, Trump is also scheduled to meet his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. The two leaders are expected to discuss a comprehensive trade deal and the war in Ukraine.