Trump’s second Asean summit presence comes at a price for region
US President Donald Trump is expected to drive hard bargains on tariffs and critical minerals in his return to the Asean summit in Manila next month, with Washington seeking greater economic and strategic concessions while remaining hawkish on China. The Philippines confirmed on Wednesday that Trump would fly in for the summit from November 16 to 18, before attending the Asia-Pacific Economic…
President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit in Manila from November 16 to 18, followed by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Shenzhen. His second consecutive appearance at the forum highlights the United States' continued engagement in the region. Analysts note that Trump's attendance signals Washington's commitment to the area, despite his preference for bilateral deals.
The trip comes ahead of an anticipated meeting with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Shenzhen, providing an opportunity to reassure regional partners of the US's dedication. However, the prospect of renewed US tariffs and demands for closer alignment could prompt Southeast Asian nations to form bilateral agreements, potentially weakening economic ties with both the US and China.
Joanne Lin, a senior fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, emphasizes that Trump's bilateral engagement contrasts with his preference for transactional diplomacy over multilateral institutions. For the Philippines, a close treaty ally of the US, the visit is expected to strengthen the country's position on various regional issues.
Julio Amador, CEO of Amador Research Services and visiting fellow at Perry World House, highlights the importance of the East Asia summit in addressing security concerns, as well as the Luzon Economic Corridor as a vital part of bilateral ties.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
