Malaysia’s Neutral Diplomacy Hailed As Trump Confirms ASEAN Summit Visit

By Nabilah Saleh

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 (Bernama) -- United States (US) President Donald Trump’s decision to attend the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October is shaping up to be a pivotal moment for regional diplomacy, as Malaysia leverages its ASEAN chairmanship to position itself as a neutral broker among competing global powers.

The confirmation, which comes amid rising strategic competition between the US and China, has elevated expectations that Kuala Lumpur could serve as a rare platform for direct or parallel engagements among world leaders, including Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin – should they attend.

Analysts say Trump’s participation, which follows Malaysia’s successful mediation of the Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s outreach to both Washington and Beijing, underscores Malaysia’s growing diplomatic credibility on the global stage.

A diplomatic coup

According to geostrategist Dr Azmi Hassan, Trump’s decision is a diplomatic coup for Malaysia and a testament to Anwar’s inclusive leadership.

“The Prime Minister did not sideline the US when negotiating the ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia. He ensured that both the US and China were part of the broader regional conversation,” said Dr Azmi, who is a senior fellow at the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research.

He said this demonstrated that Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair, recognises the importance of both superpowers, without excluding either.

“That is likely the key reason why Trump agreed to attend, following the Prime Minister’s recent working visit to Italy,” he added.

Trump has confirmed his attendance at the 47th ASEAN Summit, scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur this October.

Anwar made the announcement during the presentation of the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) in Parliament today.

The confirmation follows an official invitation extended to Trump via US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his courtesy call at the Parliament Building on July 10.

Azmi also pointed out that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had similarly accepted invitations extended by Malaysia, signalling growing global interest in ASEAN under Malaysia’s stewardship.

“Malaysia is showing that it can create a platform where major powers can talk. That in itself is a diplomatic success,” he said.

‘Wait and see’ approach

While Trump’s decision to attend the ASEAN Summit has been hailed as a diplomatic win for Malaysia, Senior Researcher at Universidad del Desarrollo’s Faculty of Government, Dr Brice Lee Tseen Fu, said Southeast Asian nations are likely to adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach to assess whether this is a genuine shift or merely a headline-driven visit.

Acknowledging that the recent Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire talks gave Malaysia a big diplomatic win and hosting Trump is an opportunity to demonstrate leadership and elevate the country's profile, Lee warned that Trump’s presence may complicate matters, particularly in areas of trade and security.

“ASEAN leaders will be cautious. Trump’s style has always been about one-on-one deals.

“That undermines ASEAN unity and pushes countries to act alone,” he explained, citing how past tariff concessions were granted only to states that agreed to major US purchases.

Nonetheless, he expressed hope that Malaysia’s handling of the summit could steer the agenda towards constructive dialogue and balance. 

“How Prime Minister Anwar handles this will be crucial. It’s a big opportunity, but also a big challenge,” Lee added.

The last US president to attend the summit in Kuala Lumpur was Barack Obama in November 2015.

-- BERNAMA