President Donald Trump arrived in Malaysia on Sunday morning, launching a weeklong tour of Asia focused on trade negotiations and regional diplomacy, with his primary objective being a trade deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping to end the months-long U.S.-China trade war.
Air Force One touched down at Kuala Lumpur International Airport shortly after 10 a.m. local time, where Trump was greeted by senior Malaysian officials and a U.S. delegation.
En route, Trump announced on his social media platform that he would first meet with the prime minister of Thailand and sign a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, following the recent death of Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit.
Trump’s first major engagement came within hours of his arrival, as he joined the prime ministers of Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia to sign the “Kuala Lumpur Peace Treaty,” a deal aimed at formally ending a brief but deadly five-day border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia earlier this year.
Under the agreement, 18 Cambodian prisoners of war will be released, and ASEAN observers will be deployed to monitor the ceasefire’s implementation.
A joint declaration from the signatories stated that Bangkok and Phnom Penh had agreed to de-escalate military tensions, cease hostile rhetoric, conduct humanitarian de-mining operations, and resolve border disputes through peaceful means and international law.
“I’m proud to help settle this conflict and really develop good friendships — including among people who work on each side,” Trump said during the signing ceremony.
Trump is scheduled to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit this week, where he will hold bilateral meetings with several regional leaders, including Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The White House confirmed that Trump’s discussions will center on trade, regional stability, and Indo-Pacific security, ahead of his anticipated meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping in South Korea later in the trip.
Administration officials said Trump hopes to reach a breakthrough in trade negotiations with Beijing, ending months of tariffs and retaliatory measures that have strained the global economy.
Trump’s Asia visit comes at a time of renewed U.S. focus on the Indo-Pacific, amid heightened competition with China and growing concerns over security flashpoints in the region, including the South China Sea and tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
The Kuala Lumpur peace accord — brokered with direct U.S. involvement — marks a diplomatic win for Trump early in his trip, underscoring his effort to project Washington’s influence as a stabilizing force in Southeast Asia.
Trump will next travel to Singapore for economic talks before heading to South Korea, where his long-awaited meeting with Xi Jinping is expected to take place.
