【By Bear Chao Ran, Observer News】On October 6, local time, the U.S. "Politico" news website cited three anonymous sources and first reported that U.S. President Trump is willing to attend the 47th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia later this month, provided he can use it to showcase his "regional mediation achievements."

In late July, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar had mentioned after a phone call with Trump that the U.S. president "confirmed" his attendance at the ASEAN Summit. However, the latest report from Politico states that the White House believes whether Trump attends the ASEAN Summit from October 26 to 28 depends on whether the Malaysian government agrees to let Trump host a ceremony for Cambodia and Thailand to sign a peace agreement during the summit.

According to insiders, the White House even specifically pressured the summit organizers to "exclude Chinese officials from attending the ceremony." The report said that the White House wants to ensure the focus is on Trump alone and intends to downplay China's efforts in mediating the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.

On October 7, four diplomatic and Malaysian government sources confirmed to Hong Kong's South China Morning Post subsidiary "This Week in Asia" that Trump hopes to hold a special ceremony during the ASEAN Summit to demonstrate his leadership in initiating the peace process. Currently, Anwar's office and the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs have not responded to requests for comment.

"Trump wants to take a photo with the Thai-Cambodian Peace Agreement at the ASEAN Summit to build momentum for the Nobel Prize ambition," the South China Morning Post titled its report, reminding readers that fickle Trump has been vying for the Nobel Peace Prize this year and claimed that since returning to the White House in January, he has ended seven global conflicts as the "chief peacemaker." However, on October 10, the results of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize will be announced, but multiple experts predict that Trump's chances of winning are slim.

Photo: November 13, 2017, Manila, Philippines, the opening of the 31st ASEAN Summit, U.S. President Trump and other leaders attending the summit taking a group photo. Visual China

Trump wants to highlight himself by mediating the Thai-Cambodian conflict

POLITICO said that holding such a high-profile event during the ASEAN Summit would provide Trump with an international stage to promote his image as the "chief peacemaker." Trump previously claimed that he played a decisive role in ending a five-day cross-border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia in July, which resulted in multiple deaths.

The report said that the White House denied linking Trump's attendance at the ASEAN Summit with the signing of the peace agreement. "The president is indeed pushing for this peace agreement, but it has not been listed as a condition for attending the summit," said a senior U.S. government official who was allowed to speak anonymously due to the sensitivity of the topic.

However, the White House also took a moment to mention, "China is not involved in these ongoing peace negotiations." "The president led this (peace) agreement... China did not play a role in these negotiations," the official added.

In fact, as early as July when the Thai-Cambodian conflict broke out, China's permanent representative to the United Nations Fu Cong had stated that Cambodia and Thailand are not only good neighbors of China, but also friendly neighbors of each other, and important members of ASEAN. ASEAN has always adhered to the tradition of resolving differences through peaceful means and hopes that peace will prevail once again. China is playing a mediating role in communication between the two sides and hopes that the situation will stabilize as soon as possible.

Thailand and Cambodia share an 817-kilometer land border. For over a century, the two countries have been fighting for sovereignty over several unmarked locations along the border, leading to multiple small-scale conflicts over the years and at least a dozen deaths, including a week-long artillery exchange in 2011.

On May 28, Thai and Cambodian forces engaged in a brief clash in the disputed border area, resulting in the death of one Cambodian soldier. Afterward, relations between the two countries became tense, with both sides increasing their military presence along the border and triggering a full-scale diplomatic crisis.

On July 24, Thai and Cambodian forces engaged in fierce fire exchanges in the border region, causing the worst border crisis between the two countries in more than a decade, with both sides accusing the other of firing first.

Until July 28, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar stated that the Thai and Cambodian sides agreed to a ceasefire. On the same day, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet expressed gratitude to Anwar, U.S. President Trump, and the Chinese government for their mediation efforts.

Trump's demands put Malaysia in a dilemma

At the same time, the South China Morning Post cited another anonymous source who revealed that the U.S. did not present similar "ultimatums" to Malaysia, the current ASEAN rotating chair and summit host country.

The source said, "The signing ceremony could take place, but it has not been finalized yet." He added that it also depends on whether Thailand agrees.

POLITICO reported that according to a person familiar with the ASEAN Summit preparations, "Everything is still under negotiation, but the Malaysian government is in a difficult position."

The report said that Trump's demands have put Malaysia in a dilemma. Anwar hopes to reach a trade agreement with the U.S. to reduce the 19% tariffs currently imposed by the U.S. on Malaysian imports. Analysts say these tariffs will severely impact electronic and furniture exports and may reduce Malaysia's annual economic growth by up to one percentage point in the next year.

However, the U.S. support for Israel's military actions in Gaza has caused strong public dissatisfaction in Malaysia, with angry protesters gathering outside the U.S. embassy in Malaysia to express their protest. Anwar is also worried that doing a favor for a U.S. president who is extremely unpopular among the Malaysian public could lead to negative perceptions. Facing public calls to cancel Trump's invitation, Anwar is under political pressure.

Trump is lobbying everywhere, but the chance of winning is slim

According to Israeli media "Ynetnews" on October 6, despite Trump's strong desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize and his efforts to facilitate an agreement to end the Gaza war and secure the release of hostages to increase his chances, experts believe that even though he repeatedly claims to have ended "seven wars" and received support from leaders like Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, his chances of winning are still low, and the hope is slim.

Some analysts told ABC that the Norwegian Nobel Committee usually focuses on "sustained peace, promotion of international friendship, and the quiet work of institutions supporting these goals." They pointed out that Trump's past record might be detrimental to him, as he has ignored international institutions and global concerns about climate change.

September 2, 2025, demonstrators held a protest outside the U.S. embassy branch in Tel Aviv, raising portraits of Trump, demanding the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Media

AP cited analysts who pointed out that the Norwegian Nobel Committee prioritizes sustained multilateral efforts rather than quick diplomatic victories. Theo Zenou, a historian and researcher at the Henry Jackson Society, a transatlantic foreign policy and national security think tank, said that Trump's so-called "efforts" have not yet proven to be sustainable.

Zenou also emphasized that Trump's dismissive attitude towards climate change is inconsistent with what many, including the Norwegian Nobel Committee, consider the "greatest long-term challenge for the planet."

Nina Graeger, director of the Oslo Peace Research Institute (PRIO), also believes that Trump's actions contradict the spirit of the Nobel Prize, including withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement, imposing tariffs on allies, and starting trade wars, which are difficult to be seen as "promoting international friendship." She believes that Trump's chances of winning the prize this year are "slim," saying that his statements do not point to a peaceful future. She also added that Trump himself openly declared that he might win, but this could be detrimental to him because the Norwegian Nobel Committee does not want to be seen as "yielding to political pressure."

Bloomberg reported on October 4 that U.S. Middle East envoy Witkowsky had urged the Norwegian Nobel Committee in August to award the Peace Prize to Trump. Trump then claimed that if the committee does not do so, it would be a "great insult to the United States." In addition, Witkowsky and U.S. Secretary of State Rubio secretly lobbied European leaders to support Trump's nomination, while Trump himself called Norwegian Finance Minister and former NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg to discuss the Nobel Prize matters.

The "Ynetnews" website reported that Norwegian government officials are concerned that Trump's loss of the award could bring "diplomatic consequences," especially given the already tense relationship between Norway and the U.S. (Norway's sovereign wealth fund withdrew from several Israeli companies due to the Gaza war), and the U.S. threat to raise tariffs on Norway. Bloomberg said that an unnamed senior Norwegian official joked that he was considering taking a sick leave on October 10 (the day the peace prize results are announced).

This article is an exclusive article by Observer News. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

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