Asean’s charm offensive in full swing

In what can only be described as a stunning diplomatic move, US President Donald Trump has personally confirmed his attendance at the 47th Asean-related summits on Oct 26-28 in Kuala Lumpur. His early commitment made directly to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim breaks with protocol and represents a rare gesture of goodwill toward Asean.

- Kavi Chongkittavorn

US presidents typically delay such confirmations until the last minute, often treating Asean events as an afterthought compared to bilateral or multilateral summits with higher strategic returns. Even when confirmed, the level of representation is frequently downgraded.

With Mr Trump now expected in town, Malaysia can plan. Beyond the 13th Asean-US Summit, new initiatives and side events can be organised to capitalise on his presence. That said, Mr Trump is always prone to changing his mind.

During his first term, Mr Trump's engagement with Asean was spotty at best. He attended only the 5th Asean-US Summit in November 2017 and left the East Asia Summit halfway through. This time, however, he appears to be rewarding Mr Anwar for brokering the Thai-Cambodian ceasefire deal. At a recent press conference, Mr Anwar publicly credited Mr Trump for the initiative. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai also expressed their gratitude. Asean leaders have since showered Mr Trump with praise, augmenting his ego. After all, “gaining face” is part of Asean’s cultural DNA.

Mr Trump's decision to attend is an acknowledgement of Asean as a pivotal regional group despite his preference for transactional engagement. The summit is expected to draw numerous heads of state. There would be one-on-one sideline meetings. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who shares decades of personal rapport with Mr Anwar, has been invited to attend the Asean summit. The Malaysian chair also plans to invite other influential guests to Kuala Lumpur.