Where things stand
• US President Donald Trump has arrived in Malaysia for a busy week of meetings with Asian leaders, including stops in Japan and South Korea, his first visit to the region since returning to office in January.
• 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.
Joint peace declaration includes Thai commitment to “promptly” release Cambodian POWs
The joint declaration signed between Thailand and Cambodia on Sunday includes a commitment from Bangkok to “promptly” release prisoners of war in their detention.
During their brief border dispute earlier this year, dozens were killed on both sides until a ceasefire brokered by Malaysia and the United States brought hostilities to an end.
But the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers captured by Thailand has remained a sticking point.
The joint declaration says Thailand “undertakes to promptly release the prisoners of war” as a way to promote mutual trust.
But it also says that release will only begin once “agreed measures are being implemented”.
Some of the concrete de-escalation measures mentioned in the joint declaration include demining work along the Cambodia-Thailand border as well as withdrawing heavy weaponry.
Asked for clarity, a Thai government source told CNN Bangkok wants to see the start of deescalation measures before releasing the Cambodian soldiers.
“We want to see the start of it, and then we will start our process which takes 48-72 hours,” the source said.
Trump offers a softened tone in his meeting with Brazil's Lula
President Donald Trump offered a softened tone toward Brazil as he met with the country’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for the second time in as many months, predicting an eventual trade deal with the US and heralding a “very good relationship” between the countries.
“We have a lot of respect for your president, as you know, a lot of respect for Brazil. So we’ll see. We’ll probably work out some deals. I’ll leave these guys work them out, but I think we’re going to work out some deals,” Trump said Sunday, pointing to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
The meeting signaled a thaw in relations following a major rift between the US and Brazil earlier this year. Trump imposed a whopping 50% tariff on Brazil on August 1, after previously threatening the tariffs if Brazil did not end its trial against its right-wing former president, and Trump ally, Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro was subsequently convicted of plotting a coup and sentenced to over 27 years in prison.
Trump said on Sunday that he feels “badly” about what happened to Bolsonaro, but asked if he would discuss the matter with Lula, Trump told a reporter it was “none of your business.”
Trump and Lula previously briefly met at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
US announces reciprocal trade agreements with Malaysia and Cambodia, both include critical mineral access
Cambodia and Malaysia have both signed reciprocal trade agreements with the US that include access to critical minerals, during President Donald Trump’s first day of a frenetic tour of Asia where economic relationships will be a key focus.
The White House released details of the deals with Malaysia and Cambodia.
Both countries will open their markets to US investment in critical minerals, with Cambodia also expanding opportunities in energy, power, telecom, transportation, and infrastructure.
Under the agreement, Cambodia guarantees fair treatment for US investors, digital trade protections, and strong labor and environmental standards, according to the text. The agreement with Malaysia addresses the US trade deficit with the country, and will adjust tariffs and non-tariff barriers to boost industry, technology, and services cooperation.
At the bilateral meeting between Trump and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer described critical minerals as vital to global manufacturing and technology sectors.
For context: Critical minerals, especially rare earths, have become a major thorn in Trump’s side in his trade dispute with China.
China controls more than 90% of the global output of refined rare earths. The US has scrambled to find new access to critical minerals and break China’s stranglehold.
Trump has vowed that America will have an abundance of the critical minerals in just one year’s time, but many warn that may be a fantasy.
Trump takes center stage in ASEAN leaders’ photo
US President Donald Trump took center stage during a photo op with ASEAN heads of government on Sunday, between Prime Ministers Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia and Hun Manet of Cambodia.
But Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who signed a peace agreement earlier in the day with Hun Manet alongside Anwar and Trump, was absent in the photo session.
Anutin flew to Malaysia to sign the deal, but had to skip other ASEAN events to attend to duties following the death of Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit on Saturday, his office has said.
Trump called it a peace “treaty.” The document called it a declaration
The backdrop at the signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur heralded a “Cambodia Thailand Peace Deal” but the document signed by the neighboring countries on Sunday suggests the current ceasefire falls far short of what President Donald Trump twice incorrectly called a “peace treaty.”
The “peace deal” was titled: “Joint Declaration by the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand on the outcomes of their meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.”
Treaties hold a much higher status and become governed by international law, whereas declarations are often used when the parties “do not intend to create binding obligations but merely want to declare certain aspirations,” according to the UN.
The declaration includes:
- A commitment to continue to de-escalate tensions that erupted into five deadly days of border combat in July, resulting in the deaths of dozens of people and the displacement of some 200,000 people.
- The establishment of a Southeast Asian observer team that would be tasked with verifying implementation of several measures.
- The “removal of heavy and destructive weapons and equipment from the border.”
- De-mining the long and disputed Thai-Cambodian border.
- A commitment from Bangkok to “promptly” release Cambodian prisoners of war.
Amid lavish praise of the US president for his mediation efforts, Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul qualified Sunday’s signing ceremony as a “concrete step towards peace” that would hinge on “full implementation” of the declaration.
Thai diplomats have been carefully reticent about Sunday’s joint declaration, calling it a “reaffirmation” of a ceasefire both sides agreed to in July.
Hun Manet, the prime minister of Cambodia – whose country is dwarfed by Thailand, economically and militarily – announced “a strong commitment to fully and faithfully implementing this joint declaration.”
CNN’s Kocha Olarn contributed to this report. This post has been updated.
US and Thailand agree framework for prospective trade deal
The United States and Thailand have agreed to the outline of a trade deal to broaden market access, strengthen supply chains, and deepen economic cooperation, according to a joint statement issued by the White House Sunday.
Under the framework, Thailand will remove tariffs on 99% of US goods, while the US will maintain 19% “reciprocal tariffs” and grant zero-tariff access for select Thai products.
The joint statement says both nations are committed to tackling non-tariff barriers, adhering to labor laws, maintaining high environmental standards, and expanding cooperation in digital trade and intellectual property.
Thailand also agreed to buy an estimated $2.6 billion in US agricultural goods annually, $5.4 billion in energy products, and 80 US aircraft worth $18.8 billion.
Negotiations and a finalized agreement are expected in the coming weeks, according to the White House.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the US and Thailand aimed to reach a firm deal by the end of the year.
“We will also sign the (memorandum of understanding) between our governments on cooperation on critical minerals, which will further promote resilient and sustainable supply chains for years to come.”
A prison joke and a Nobel Prize nomination: Southeast Asian leaders lavish praise on Trump
The serious business of signing the Thailand-Cambodia peace agreement took on a lighter mood as Southeast Asian leaders used the moment to heap praise – and some gentle ribbing – on US President Donald Trump.
“I was in prison, but you almost got there,” Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said during his opening remarks, nodding to what he described as commonalities between himself and Trump.
Anwar served time over charges of corruption and sodomy – charges he claims were false and politically motivated. Trump was convicted last year of felony charges linked to a hush-money payment to influence the outcome of the 2016 election, a verdict the US president disputes.
The Malaysian leader also said Trump was “delighted to break the rules” on security protocols earlier that day to offer Anwar a ride to the gathering in his limousine. “It was a nice ride,” he added.
Hun Manet, Cambodia’s prime minister, reiterated his nomination of Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in resolving his country’s five-day conflict with Thailand in July. Trump has long coveted the honor, which is bestowed annually, most recently earlier this month.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul thanked Trump for his “personal dedication” to peace between the two countries.
An initial ceasefire between the two countries brokered in Malaysia was signed on July 28 after the US president held calls with leaders on both sides. He warned then that he would not make trade deals with either if the conflict continued – a threat that came as both faced elevated tariffs from the US under Trump’s global trade war.
Trump also kept the mood light at Sunday’s ceremony.
He recounted speaking over the phone with the three Southeast Asian leaders over the July conflict while at his golf resort in Scotland.
“I said, this is much more important than playing a round of golf, so we sat there all day long, making phone calls,” he said.
“You cost me very good entertainment… but this is much more fun for me… because you’re saving people.”
The Cambodia-Thailand peace accord explained
CNN’s Ivan Watson, who is in Kuala Lumpur, breaks down the signing ceremony between Cambodia and Thailand that US President Donald Trump joined.
Bessent says US-China trade talks “set the stage” for Trump-Xi meeting
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emerged from a meeting with his Chinese counterpart suggesting the table has been set for a deal between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping when they meet face-to-face in South Korea in the coming days.
“I think we have a very successful framework for the leaders to discuss on Thursday. We discussed trade, the rare earths, the fentanyl, TikToks and the overall relationship between the two countries,” Bessent told reporters here in Kuala Lumpur.
The high-stakes trade talks ended Sunday afternoon local time (early hours, ET) and Bessent said they “set the stage for the leaders’ meeting.” The Trump-Xi meeting come after trade tensions between the US and China have ratcheted up in recent weeks, with Trump threatening sweeping 130% tariffs on China and export controls on critical software. Beijing, in turn, has signaled it could retaliate.
Bessent described the talks as “constructive” and “far-reaching,” and said there was “new nuance” to discussions.
He suggested that the extension of a trade truce between the US and China is likely to move forward, but deferred to Trump.
“Coming out of this meeting I would say yes, but that is at the end of the day President Trump’s decision,” Bessent said.
He also described “significant discussions” on agricultural purchases.
Though talks between the US and Chinese delegations have been at times tense, Bessent told CNN that there was “great respect” during the two-day talks in Malaysia.
“This was the fifth time that Vice Premier He Lifeng and I have seen each other – great respect. And I think what was different this time is that this was in preparation for the meeting with the two leaders, so we were determined to provide them with a framework for a successful meeting in Korea, which I think it will be,” he said.
"Long road ahead” for Thai-Cambodia peace despite Trump-inked deal, expert says
A lasting peace deal between Thailand and Cambodia is still “a long road” away despite the agreement Donald Trump trumpeted on Sunday, a Thai political expert has told CNN.
The US president wanted to “get credit for peace” but the deal signed on Sunday fell short of being a “final peace treaty,” Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of political science at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University, said.
He argued that Trump “conflated peace and trade,” believing that he could use trade and tariffs to induce a peace deal.
But enduring peace will involve “a feeling of lasting justice and fairness,” he said.
“President Trump wants a quick win. But on the ground, it’s much more complicated,” he said.
Though he called Sunday’s deal a step “in the right direction,” Thitinan cautioned: “There’s a long road ahead for some kind of a lasting peace deal, peace agreement, let alone treaty.”
As Trump touts Thailand-Cambodia peace agreement, he draws contrast with more complex conflicts
President Donald Trump heralded the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia as he described efforts to secure a peace agreement between the countries. He praised Thailand’s Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodia’s Hun Manet for being respectful toward each other, in stark contrast with how he’s described conflict in the Middle East and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“What makes me so happy is the two countries we’re dealing with … they really like each other. I’m not used to that. When I do these deals, usually there’s a lot of hatred,” Trump said as the leaders prepared to sign the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords.
The two leaders had “great respect for each other,” Trump said, which “made it a little bit easier.”
Trump has frequently described animosity between Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“There’s a lot of bad blood with the two presidents, and I’m not speaking out of turn when I say it’s a very, very difficult situation,” Trump recently told reporters at the White House.
The president said Sunday that observers from ASEAN countries will “be deployed to make sure that the peace prevails and endures,” drawing contrasts with a fragile peace deal between Israel and Hamas.
“I have no doubt that it will. We have another situation like that right now in the Middle East and Gaza. You might have read a little bit about Gaza, and that’s another one we’re very proud of. But we have a lot of people watching that – a lot of people. I think this is a much different kind of a thing,” he said.
US to ink trade deal with Cambodia as well as Thai minerals agreement, Trump says
Alongside the Trump-signed peace deal between Cambodia and Thailand, the United States will ink major economic agreements with both countries, according to Trump.
“We also are signing a major trade deal with Cambodia and a very important critical minerals agreement with Thailand,” Trump said.
Trump thanked US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, who he referred to as “the foremost expert on trade.” He then briefly spoke about additional stops during the trip where trade will top the agenda. “We’re going to be doing another couple of stops where we’re talking about no war, just pure trade,” he said.
The president also said he will speak with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
“We’ll be stopping at Japan. We’ll be stopping at South Korea. We’ll be doing some other things with him, more related to trade,” Trump added.
Trump signs peace accord with leaders from Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia
President Donald Trump joined in the signing of a peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand during a summit of Southeast Asian nations in Malaysia on Sunday.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, alongside Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, signed the accord during an on-stage ceremony in front of a backdrop displaying the seal of the United States and the phrase “delivering peace.”
Border tensions between the two countries exploded into a five-day conflict in July that left dozens of civilians dead and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
Trump has taken credit for resolving the conflict. An initial ceasefire brokered in Malaysia was signed on July 28 after the US president held calls with leaders on both sides and warned both that he would not make trade deals with either if the conflict continued.
Trump extends condolences following death of Thailand's Queen Sirikit
US President Donald Trump extended his condolences to Thailand’s late Queen Mother Sirikit, calling her the “embodiment of dignity, kindness and grace.”
Sirikit died Saturday, aged 93.
Trump described her as “a beautiful, incredible woman who is so respected all over the world,” speaking before a ceremony where Thailand and Cambodia signed a peace agreement after fighting a brief border dispute earlier in the year.
“I know the people of Thailand will remember her forever as the embodiment of dignity, kindness and grace,” he said.
Trump said the peace agreement would “honor the memory by bringing the blessing of peace to the nation she dearly loved.”
The ceremony was conducted earlier in the day so that Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul could return early following Sirikit’s passing.
For context: Sirikit supervised royal projects to help the rural poor, preserve traditional craft-making and protect the environment.
She had been largely absent from public life in recent years due to declining health. Her husband, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, died in October 2016.
Read more about her here.
Trump: brokering peace is "something that I'm good at"
Trump praised his own abilities to broker peace deals, in opening remarks at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur where Cambodia and Thailand are expected to sign a peace accord.
The US president recalled that the conflict “was one of the first wars” that he “got involved in.”
“I love doing it. I love … it’s like, I shouldn’t say it’s a hobby, because it’s so much more serious than a hobby, but something that I’m good at, and it’s something I love to do,” Trump said in his remarks.
The deadly border conflict that erupted between Thailand and Cambodia in July is among many “un-endable wars” Trump claims to have ended.
An initial ceasefire brokered in Malaysia was signed on July 28 after the US president held calls with leaders on both sides and warned both that he would not make trade deals with either if the conflict continued.
What happened during the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia?
Among the many “un-endable wars” Trump has claimed to have ended is the deadly border conflict that erupted between Thailand and Cambodia in July.
Dozens of people, mostly civilians, were killed and hundreds of thousands were forced to flee their homes on both sides of their 508-mile (817-kilometer) disputed border – much of which was mapped by Cambodia’s former colonial ruler France more than 100 years ago, and which has been prone to flareups of violence for decades.
During the five-day conflict, Thailand deployed F-16 fighter jets against Cambodian military targets. As an American treaty ally, Thailand’s military maintains close ties with the US military.
Cambodia – which this year completed its seventh round of annual military drills with close ally China – fired rockets and shells into Thailand.
Both sides blamed the other for starting the conflict.
Into the fray entered Trump, who held calls with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and then acting prime minister of Thailand Phumtham Wechayachai, warning both that he would not make trade deals with either country if the conflict continued.
Trump had previously threatened Thailand and Cambodia with a 36% tariff on most of their exports to the US. (Both countries ended up with a 19% tariff.)
Following the calls, Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that the two sides had agreed to a ceasefire.
Within days, military leaders from both countries agreed to a ceasefire declaration on July 28 in Malaysia, brokered by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Hun Manet then said that he nominated the US president for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Trump addresses Thailand-Cambodia peace agreement ceremony
President Donald Trump is addressing dignitaries gathered at a ceremony where Cambodia and Thailand are set to sign a peace agreement on the sidelines of a summit of Southeast Asian nations in Malaysia on Sunday.
“This is so exciting, because we did something that a lot of people said couldn’t be done,” Trump said in opening remarks. “Two great countries, but they were going at it. I want to congratulate the two courageous leaders … for taking this monumental step.”
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul are attending the ceremony, alongside Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Trump arrives in Asia, to fanfare and warm welcome
US President Donald Trump was greeted by dignitaries, dancers and waving flags as he arrived in Malaysia late Saturday (Sunday morning, local time).
Trump will attend two regional summits in Asia, where he is set to meet with key leaders including his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
He’s due to oversee the signing of a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia shortly. Trade is also on the agenda on Sunday, with tensions high between the US and Canada and talks between the US and China going on.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Peace agreement: Trump will attend the signing of a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia on Sunday. The two kingdoms were involved in a deadly border skirmish earlier this year that left dozens of civilians dead and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. Trump helped broker a ceasefire between to the neighboring countries.
- Hiking tariffs: Trump announced on Truth Social that he is increasing tariffs on Canada by 10% over current levels. It’s the latest fallout from an advertisement that the country’s Ontario province has been running in the US, which uses the words of former US President Ronald Reagan to criticize US tariffs. Trump said shortly before leaving for his Asia trip that he does not plan to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who will also be in Asia this week.
- Looking ahead to Xi meeting: Trump said he is hoping to strike a “comprehensive deal” at the sit-down with Xi, which comes after the US and China recently slapped each other with sweeping trade measures. That broke months of relative calm between the top global economies, leaving trade relations in a fragile position.
- No immediate plans to meet Putin: Trump said there’s nothing imminent regarding a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The US president told reporters that any summit will have to wait until a potential peace deal between Russia and Ukraine seems achievable.
US-China trade talks working toward “final details," US representative says
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer expressed optimism for a potential US-China trade deal when President Donald Trump meets with China’s leader Xi Jinping later this week.
Greer, along with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, held meetings with top Chinese officials on Saturday and Sunday in Kuala Lumpur where, Greer said, they negotiated a framework for Trump and Xi to discuss at what is expected to be a high-stakes meeting with global economic implications amid a long-simmering trade war.
“I think we’re moving forward to the final details of the type of agreement that the leaders can review and decide if they want to conclude together,” Greer told reporters.
He described the discussions as “broad-ranging” and “constructive.”
“We had quite constructive discussions with our Chinese counterparts. We think we’re getting to a point where we have something we can present to the leaders,” he said, noting that there were talks about rare earth minerals, among other topics.
Negotiators, he said, are “getting to the spot where the leaders will have a very productive meeting this coming week.”
On Saturday, Trump indicated he was open to making some concessions as he suggested a “very good chance of making a very comprehensive deal.”
“They have to make concessions. I guess we would too. We’re at 157% tariff for them. I don’t think that’s sustainable for them, and they want to get that down. And we want certain things from them,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Trump shakes off Taiwan questions ahead of five-day Asia tour
As he headed to Asia for a diplomatic swing expected to include a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Donald Trump appeared wary of responding to questions from reporters on one of the thorniest issues in US-China relations: Taiwan.
Trump confirmed that the self-ruling democracy would be among topics discussed in the upcoming meeting with Xi, expected to take place on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea next week.
But the US president had little to say on the subject when pressed by reporters traveling on Air Force One.
Asked whether he would consider changing US policy on Taiwan, Trump said he didn’t “want to talk about that now.”
The US president also said it “would be very dangerous” for China to make any move on Taiwan, when asked by a reporter why he had earlier said he did not think China wanted to invade the island.
Here’s some background: China’s ruling Communist Party claims self-governing Taiwan as its own, despite never having ruled it, and has vowed to take control of it, by force if necessary. Beijing in recent years has ramped up its military, economic and diplomatic pressure on Taipei.
The US maintains a close unofficial relationship with Taiwan and is required by law to provide it with the means for its defense – a relationship that irks Chinese officials and is seen by Beijing as the most sensitive issue among a host of frictions with the US.
Under Washington’s longstanding “One China” policy, the US acknowledges China’s position that Taiwan is part of China but has never officially recognized Beijing’s claim to the island of 23 million people. Washington has long maintained a policy that that it does not support Taiwan’s independence.
Analysts believe that Xi hopes for a key concession from Trump: a change in US policy to “oppose Taiwan independence.”
