Biggest gainers from Trump’s visit to ASEAN
US President Donald Trump’s visit to Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN Summit was short but sweet. In a single day, Trump brokered peace between two warring neighbours and secured a string of trade deals that could reshape America’s economic ties with Southeast Asia.
At the summit’s centrepiece event, Trump and Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hosted the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia for the signing of the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords — a historic declaration ending years of deadly border tensions between the two nations. The deal includes the creation of joint border observer teams and the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers detained since July.
Alongside the peace deal, Trump announced a raft of new trade and defence agreements with Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam, signalling a renewed US economic push in a region increasingly shaped by China’s influence.
Malaysia emerged as the biggest economic winner. Under a new reciprocal trade agreement, Kuala Lumpur will cut or eliminate nearly all tariffs on US exports, ending long-standing barriers on American agricultural goods, motor vehicles, and industrial products. The deal also commits Malaysia to recognise US regulatory standards, streamlining future trade.
The United States and Malaysia further elevated their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, a move accompanied by major commercial deals. These include multi-year agreements for up to $3.4 billion in annual LNG purchases, $42.6 million in coal sales, and a landmark order for 30 Boeing aircraft with an option for 30 more.
Additional purchases of US semiconductors, aerospace components, and data centre equipment are expected to total $150 billion. The two countries also signed an MOU on critical minerals, expanding cooperation across exploration, extraction, and manufacturing.
Cambodia also gained from Trump’s visit. In exchange for signing the peace accord, Phnom Penh secured the removal of a US arms embargo and an agreement to restart the Angkor Sentinel joint defence exercise, suspended since 2017. Cambodian officers will also gain more training opportunities at American military academies.
Trump and Prime Minister Hun Manet agreed to deepen collaboration against transnational crime, including cyber scams and narcotics trafficking, which Washington says cost Americans billions each year.
In Thailand, Trump and Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced a new framework for reciprocal trade that could eliminate tariff barriers on 99% of goods. They also signed a memorandum to boost cooperation on critical minerals, cybercrime, and supply chain resilience.
Vietnam joined the list of beneficiaries as Trump unveiled a framework for a fair and balanced trade agreement that would grant preferential market access to nearly all US industrial and agricultural exports.
Trump’s short visit ended with him attending the annual US-ASEAN Summit, where he pledged America’s continued commitment to regional peace and prosperity.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
