KUALA LUMPUR: United States President Donald Trump’s confirmation to attend the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October has been hailed as a diplomatic milestone for Malaysia.
The move reinforces the country’s role as a neutral mediator amid rising US-China strategic competition.
Analysts view Trump’s participation as a significant endorsement of Malaysia’s diplomatic credibility, especially following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s balanced engagement with both Washington and Beijing.
Geostrategist Dr Azmi Hassan called it a “diplomatic coup,“ crediting Anwar’s inclusive leadership for ensuring superpowers remain engaged in regional discussions.
Trump’s attendance was confirmed after an invitation extended via US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his July 10 visit.
Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have also accepted Malaysia’s invitations, signaling growing global interest in ASEAN under Malaysia’s chairmanship.
However, Dr Brice Tseen Fu Lee of Universidad del Desarrollo cautioned that ASEAN nations may adopt a “wait and see” approach, wary of Trump’s transactional diplomacy potentially undermining regional unity.
Despite concerns, the summit presents Malaysia an opportunity to steer dialogue toward constructive outcomes.
The last US president to attend an ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur was Barack Obama in 2015. – Bernama