Trump Brokers Thai-Cambodia Truce as Asia Tour Kicks Off in Malaysia
Truce Marks Rare Diplomatic Win Ahead of Trump’s High-Stakes Meeting with China’s Xi Jinping
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — US President Donald Trump arrived in Malaysia on Sunday on the first leg of his Asia tour, co-signing a landmark ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia alongside Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. The deal comes after months of deadly border clashes that left dozens dead earlier this year.
The truce, signed by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, marks the end of one of the most violent confrontations between the two Southeast Asian nations in decades.
“We will be signing the Peace Deal immediately upon arrival,” Trump wrote on Truth Social while en route aboard Air Force One, calling the ceasefire a “new chapter for regional stability.”
The agreement was finalized in Kuala Lumpur, where Trump was greeted with a red-carpet ceremony and military honors, including a fighter jet escort.
His visit, the first to Malaysia since returning to the White House in January, precedes a series of critical summits focused on trade and security.
Trump’s trip will culminate in South Korea, where he is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time since resuming office. The two leaders are expected to discuss a potential end to the bruising US-China trade war, which has rattled global markets.
“We’re moving forward to the final details of the type of agreement that the leaders can review,” said US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Kuala Lumpur.
The US president is also expected to visit Japan to meet new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, signaling renewed diplomatic engagement with key allies in the Indo-Pacific. Trump praised Takaichi as a “strong leader” who continues the legacy of late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a former close ally of Washington.
Meanwhile, the possibility of a surprise meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un looms over Trump’s itinerary.
“I’m open to it,” he said before departing Washington, hinting that the encounter could take place during his stop in South Korea’s port city of Busan, where the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit will be held.
During a refueling stop in Qatar, Trump met with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, praising their key role in mediating the Gaza ceasefire.
“They were a very big factor in bringing peace to the Middle East,” Trump said.
Qatar, a longtime interlocutor in regional conflicts, continues to play a crucial role in maintaining the fragile Gaza truce alongside the United States, Egypt, and Turkey.
Trump’s meeting underscored Washington’s renewed focus on consolidating its peace initiatives across multiple regions.
As Trump’s Asia tour unfolds, the combination of regional ceasefires, trade diplomacy, and potential nuclear talks underscores his attempt to reassert US influence in global affairs after a turbulent period of geopolitical realignments.
