The President will begin his Asian tour on October 26th in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he will attend the 47th ASEAN Summit.
President Trump heads to Asia to seek trade deal with China
President Trump is scheduled to fly to Asia for six days and meet with China to negotiate a trade deal.
Despite what is shaping up to be the longest government shutdown in history, President Donald Trump headed to Asia on October 24 to meet with world leaders and try to resolve the trade war he started with China.
President Trump departed the White House on a night Air Force plane en route to his first destination, Malaysia.
The president and the plane stopped for refueling at the U.S. Military Regional Command’s al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Al Jazeera reported that President Trump welcomed Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani aboard the ship and expressed his gratitude for Qatar’s efforts in reaching a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
In May, President Trump received a luxury Boeing 747 from Qatar, which will be used as Air Force One after extensive refurbishment, and will be moved to the presidential library after his term ends. The $400 million gift drew bipartisan criticism for its ethical and national security implications.
The trip comes as the second-term Republican president threatens to impose nearly triple tariffs on Chinese imports on Nov. 1 unless a new trade deal is reached with China. China’s retaliatory taxes have halted major U.S. imports such as soybeans and restricted sales of rare earth minerals essential to electronic devices such as cell phones and computers.
During his visit, President Trump hopes to strike a deal with Kim Pyong, who he plans to meet in South Korea on Thursday, October 26.
Here’s what you need to know about President Trump’s visit to Malaysia.
When will Trump go to Malaysia?
According to the charter, President Trump will begin his Asian tour in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the morning of October 26, local time, and will participate in the 47th ASEAN Summit. The ASEAN Summit aims to promote economic growth and cultural development, and strengthen security cooperation among member countries.
According to Reuters, while in Malaysia, President Trump will witness the signing of a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, which he helped broker. In July, border tensions between the two neighboring countries erupted into a deadly five-day conflict, the most violent in recent history, leaving dozens dead and some 300,000 displaced. Malaysia helped secure an initial ceasefire on July 28, aided by President Trump’s call to the leaders of both countries.
Where will President Trump go after Malaysia?
After Malaysia, President Trump will head to Japan, arriving on Monday, October 27th, where he is scheduled to meet with Japan’s new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi.
President Trump’s third and final stop on his Asian trip will be Busan, South Korea, on Wednesday, October 29th. After arriving, President Trump is scheduled to meet with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.
White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt announced on Thursday, October 23, that the president will meet with Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders, speak at a luncheon, and participate in a working dinner between the United States and APEC leaders.
The following day, Thursday, October 30th, President Trump is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping before returning to Washington, DC.
Contributed by: Bert Hansen, Fernando Cervantes Jr. / USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
