On arrival in the capital Kuala Lumpur, Trump’s first order of business was to oversee the signing of a peace accord between the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand, building on a truce signed several months ago following a deadly clash.
The stakes are particularly high for Trump’s sit-down with Chinese leader Xi Jinping next week. After months of relative calm, the US and China have slapped each other with sweeping trade measures in recent weeks, straining relations between the rival powers. Talks between US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and his Chinese counterparts have “set the stage for the leaders’ meeting,” Bessent told reporters Sunday.
Before he arrived in Asia, Trump announced a hike in tariffs on Canada, addressed peace efforts in Gaza and Ukraine, and previewed his meetings with key leaders in comments made during the long-haul flight.
