President Trump Opens Southeast Asia Talks with Landmark Peace Agreement

At the outset of nearly a week of critical diplomatic engagements with Northeast Asia’s top leaders, President Trump scored a significant opening success. Seated alongside the prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, the president watched proudly as the two leaders signed a peace deal that marks a respite, if not an end, to bitter battles and border skirmishes centered around a temple on Cambodia’s northern border with eastern Thailand.

The conflict, which cost more than 40 lives in fighting along the Thai-Cambodian border near the Preah Vihear temple last July, has plagued the region for centuries. The fighting nearly escalated into a full-scale war when Thailand deployed F-16 fighter jets for bombing and strafing runs, prompting Cambodia to respond with artillery barrages. The violence forced several hundred thousand people to flee for safety.

President Trump took full credit for brokering the agreement, claiming, “We saved maybe millions of lives,” suggesting that his intervention prevented the skirmishes from erupting into a broader conflict between the two Southeast Asian nations.

The peace deal, dubbed “the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords” by Mr. Trump, came with significant incentives. Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet secured a major trade deal, while Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul obtained a critical minerals agreement. The occasion was hosted on the sidelines of a summit of leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, hosting the meeting, pledged to “eliminate or reduce tariffs on nearly all U.S. exports, and allow non-discriminatory or preferential market access for U.S. agricultural and industrial goods,” according to a White House statement.

Reflecting on the achievement, President Trump said he was “proud to help settle this conflict and forge a future for the region where proud, independent nations can prosper and thrive.”

Buoyed by the successful Thai-Cambodia accord, Mr. Trump engaged with leaders from a dozen other Asian countries at the ASEAN conference before preparing for more consequential meetings. Later this week, he is scheduled to meet with the leaders of Japan, South Korea, and China on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, respectively, to discuss critical issues such as trade, tariffs, and security.

He is expected to reaffirm America’s steadfast commitment to the defense of Japan and South Korea under separate alliance agreements to Japan’s fledgling Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korea’s President Lee Jae-myung.

On Thursday, Mr. Trump will meet with China’s President Xi Jinping just one day before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea.

Amid this packed itinerary, Mr. Trump may also attempt to arrange a reunion with North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, whom he has expressed a desire to see. As of now, Mr. Kim has not responded to this overture.

The coming days promise to be pivotal in shaping the future of U.S. relations with key players in Northeast Asia, with peace and prosperity hanging in the balance.
https://www.nysun.com/article/saved-millions-of-lives-trump-claims-credit-for-ceasefire-agreement-between-thailand-and-cambodia