Trump Hails ‘Peace and Prosperity’ in ASEAN, but Myanmar Remains Forgotten

This year’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Malaysia received global media attention thanks to the presence of US President Donald Trump.

After Air Force One touched down in Kuala Lumpur, the summit included a flurry of agreements, including a peace deal between Thailand and Cambodia, that led to the White House boasting that Trump had brought “peace and prosperity” to the region. Trump assured prosperity for nations on both sides of the Pacific, raising hopes that the US may yet remain a strong presence in the region to counter China.

In his remarks at the US-ASEAN Summit in the Malaysian capital, Trump told regional leaders, “Our message to the nations of Southeast Asia is that the US is with you 100 percent and we intend to be a strong partner and friend for many generations to come.” He added that the US is “committed to a free and open and thriving Indo-Pacific”.