US President Donald Trump on Sunday presided over the signing of a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, marking a key moment in the opening of the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia. The deal, which expands on a ceasefire first brokered by Trump earlier this year, officially ended months of deadly border clashes between the two neighboring countries.
The agreement was signed by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. It includes provisions for Thailand to release 18 Cambodian soldiers held captive and for both sides to begin withdrawing heavy weapons from the border region. Trump described the occasion as a “momentous day,” saying the ceasefire had quickly stopped severe violence along the frontier.
The initial truce, reached after a five-day exchange of heavy artillery fire in July that left dozens dead and displaced hundreds of thousands, came following direct calls from Trump to the leaders of both nations. The expanded deal signed in Kuala Lumpur cements that ceasefire and lays out mechanisms for future conflict prevention.
Trump was welcomed to Malaysia by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim ahead of the summit, where leaders from across Asia and beyond are gathered for two days of high-level discussions. The US president is also scheduled to sign new economic agreements with Thailand and Cambodia, and a separate trade pact with Malaysia later in the day.
Trade issues have featured prominently at the summit, with US and Chinese officials holding talks on the sidelines to de-escalate tensions in their ongoing trade dispute. Trump is also expected to meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to discuss Washington’s 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods.
The summit also marked a milestone for East Timor, which was officially admitted as the 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao hailed the occasion as a “dream realized,” saying the country’s inclusion in the bloc represented a new beginning for the young nation.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called East Timor’s entry the completion of the ASEAN family, affirming the bloc’s commitment to shared prosperity and regional unity.