According to U.S. media reports, Malaysia and Singapore are both concerned that the neutrality of ASEAN is being eroded as global major powers compete, and the countries in the region do not want to "take sides."

Malaysia's Foreign Minister warned Southeast Asian counterparts that the space for neutrality is shrinking in a region increasingly affected by great power competition, just as President Donald Trump makes his first visit to Asia since returning to the White House. The meeting on Saturday marks the opening of the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, which will open in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, followed by two-day high-level meetings with major partners including China, Japan, India, Australia, Russia, South Korea, and the United States.

Leaders are expected to focus on regional security, economic resilience, and maritime disputes — changes in U.S. tariffs and the global trade landscape will play a significant role in the discussions.

Malaysia's Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan told his peers: "As the international landscape becomes more dominated by competition rather than consensus, division rather than dialogue, ASEAN is at a crossroads." He said: "Our space for neutrality and core position is shrinking, especially in areas such as trade, technology, and regional security arrangements. We must continue to be voices, not ones who are spoken for."

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) — the world's largest trade group covering ASEAN and five partners, including China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand — will hold its separate summit for the first time since 2020. This summit comes at a time when regional economies are seeking stability in trade, as U.S. tariffs shake up markets and test decades of globalization achievements.

Trump's visit marks his first participation in an ASEAN meeting since 2017 and his first trip to Asia in his second term. The previous U.S. president to attend an ASEAN meeting was Joe Biden in 2022. Officials said Trump is expected to witness new U.S. trade agreements with Malaysia and others. It is also expected that Trump will preside over the signing of expanded ceasefire agreements between Thailand and Cambodia, following border clashes between the two countries earlier this year. This ceasefire agreement was facilitated in Kuala Lumpur in July, supported by ASEAN, and was reached under the backdrop of Trump threatening to suspend trade negotiations. His itinerary will also include Japan and South Korea.

Joan Lin, joint coordinator of the ASEAN Research Center at the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said: "Trump's attendance reflects a rare moment of direct involvement by the U.S. president in the region." She said that it shows Washington still sees value in ASEAN in its Indo-Pacific strategy. Lin said: "But this visit is not just about deepening U.S. engagement; it's about visibility. Trump wants to portray himself as a global dealmaker during a period when his domestic policies, especially tariff policies, have made major regional partners uneasy."

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1846993310380044/

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