Trump Oversees Thailand-Cambodia Peace Deal and Key Trade Talks at ASEAN Summit

U.S. President Donald Trump played a central role in overseeing a landmark ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia on Sunday during the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia. The expanded truce, signed by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, builds on a peace deal reached three months earlier. Both leaders expressed hope that the accord, signed under the banner “Delivering Peace,” would end years of cross-border conflict and restore stability to their border communities.

Hun Manet emphasized that the ceasefire could pave the way for lasting peace, healing divisions caused by violence that claimed 48 lives and displaced over 300,000 people. Trump, who helped broker the initial ceasefire in July through direct talks with both nations, reaffirmed U.S. support for continued peace, saying it would strengthen trade and cooperation between Washington and Southeast Asia. Anutin also announced plans to remove heavy weaponry from border zones and release 18 detained Cambodian soldiers.

Upon arriving in Kuala Lumpur, Trump was welcomed by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and local performers before joining other world leaders for high-level trade discussions. U.S. and Chinese negotiators continued efforts to de-escalate their ongoing trade war, with U.S. trade envoy Jamieson Greer confirming talks covered rare earths and critical minerals. Trump revealed plans for upcoming U.S. mineral deals with Thailand and Malaysia, alongside a potential broader trade agreement with Cambodia.

Meanwhile, East Timor officially joined ASEAN as its 11th member, marking a milestone in the nation’s long quest for regional integration. President Jose Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao hailed the achievement as a symbol of the young nation’s resilience and growing role in Southeast Asia’s $3.8 trillion economy.