Trump’s Asia return and East Timor’s entry take spotlight in landmark ASEAN summit

KUALA LUMPUR: (Oct 25) (AP) Southeast Asian foreign ministers held talks Saturday ahead of a landmark ASEAN summit that will formally welcome East Timor as the bloc’s 11th member and mark US President Donald Trump’s first trip to Asia since returning to the White House.

The meeting serves as a curtain-raiser for the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit which starts on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur, followed by two days of high-level engagements with key partners, including China, Japan, India, Australia, Russia, South Korea and the US.

Leaders are expected to focus on regional security, economic resilience, and maritime disputes — with US tariffs and shifting global trade patterns looming large over discussions.