TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - When signing a trade agreement with four Southeast Asian countries, President of the United States Donald Trump, who was visiting the region, conveyed that they can expect full support and friendship from the US in the future.
"Our message to the nations of Southeast Asia is that the US is with you 100 per cent and we intend to be a strong partner and friend for many generations to come," said Trump to the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Sunday, as reported by CNA.
In his opening remarks at the US-ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, he added that this is the "golden age of America" and that the US is "committed to a free and open and thriving Indo-Pacific".
"One year ago, we were in a different position, but now we're in the best position we've ever been. I say it's … the golden age of the United States," he said during his rare and highly anticipated visit to the region.
"Together, we'll create incredible prosperity for the nations on both sides of the Pacific Ocean and seize new opportunities for all of our people," Trump said.
Speaking at the ASEAN Summit as the rotating chair of ASEAN, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that the relationship between the 11-member bloc and the US is based on a common goal for peace and prosperity and has become a "comprehensive strategic partnership".
"The dynamic and remarkable economies of the US and Southeast Asia have the potential to create a golden age for all our countries," said Anwar. He noted that two-way trade reached a record of US$453 billion last year, supporting jobs and businesses on both sides.
Trump's visit to Kuala Lumpur is the first by a US president to Malaysia in a decade, the last being Barack Obama in 2015.
Trump's presence at the ASEAN Summit is also a rare visit. He only attended the 2017 meeting in the Philippines during his first term but missed subsequent meetings, raising questions about his administration's commitment to the region.
On Sunday, Trump told ASEAN leaders that he is glad to be back in Southeast Asia, the "home to some of America's most important allies, nations, and partners".
AGREEMENTS WITH 4 ASEAN COUNTRIES
On this occasion, Trump signed a reciprocal trade agreement with his counterparts from Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The agreement will encourage these countries to address tariff and non-tariff barriers.
The US will maintain a 19 percent tariff for most exports from Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia under the agreement, according to a joint statement released by the White House.
A 20 percent tariff for Vietnam will also be retained.
Trump also signed agreements with Thailand and Malaysia to cooperate in diversifying essential mineral supply chains amid China's competition in this rapid-growing industry sector.
China, the world's largest rare earth miner and processor, has enforced increasingly strict export controls on its refining technology, leading global producers to vie for alternative supplies of these essential minerals widely used in semiconductor chips, electric vehicles, and military equipment.
Malaysia agreed on Sunday not to ban or limit exports of essential minerals or rare earth elements to the US, according to both countries in a statement.
However, the statement did not specify whether Malaysia's pledge applies to raw rare earths or processed ones.
Malaysia, estimated to hold 16.1 million tons of rare earth deposits, has banned companies from exporting raw rare earths to prevent resource depletion as it seeks to develop its downstream sector.
Under the agreement, Kuala Lumpur also agreed to provide significant preferential market access for industrial goods and agricultural imports from the US, the statement said.
This includes chemicals, machinery, and passenger vehicles, as well as products such as dairy and poultry.
Meanwhile, Thailand will eliminate tariff barriers on about 99 percent of goods, covering the entire range of US industrial, food, and agricultural products, the two countries said.
Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Vietnam also pledged to protect labor rights and strengthen environmental protection in the agreement.
In the Washington agreement with Hanoi, both countries committed to addressing and preventing barriers for US agricultural products in the Vietnamese market.
The agreement was signed after Trump oversaw the signing of a modified ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia following deadly clashes at the border between the two Southeast Asian neighbors earlier this year.
Speaking at the ASEAN-US Summit, Anwar also pledged that the regional bloc would adopt a Joint Vision Statement for "promoting a stronger, more secure, and more prosperous ASEAN and US".
"This reflects our desire and commitment to turn this cooperation into tangible outcomes with real benefits for ASEAN and the US," said Anwar.
The Joint Vision Statement was signed in 2022 in Washington by the then US President, Joe Biden, and the Southeast Asian countries during the ASEAN-US Summit. It is unclear whether Anwar refers to a new statement to be adopted by both sides.
The 2022 statement states that the US and ASEAN will enhance maritime cooperation, including coordination among maritime legal enforcement agencies to curb illegal fishing and ensure freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.
"We recognize the benefits of the South China Sea as a sea of peace, stability, and prosperity. We emphasize the importance of practical measures that can reduce tension and the risk of accidents, miscalculations, and misperceptions," the statement said.
Since the 1990s, the regional block has been trying to negotiate a framework for managing disputes in one of the world's most contested waterways with China. However, negotiations have repeatedly stalled for various reasons.
China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, a position that overlaps with four Southeast Asian neighbors - Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Unresolved disputes over ownership of islands and maritime features have persisted for decades.
ANTI-TRUMP PROTESTS
On Sunday afternoon around 16:00 local time, about 200 protesters gathered at Ampang Park near the ASEAN Summit venue at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
This was the second demonstration on Sunday protesting Trump's presence at the ASEAN Summit.
There were many police in the park, with officers on alert and police vehicles patrolling the surrounding area.
Some protesters hurled their shoes at the statues of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, the protest organized by the non-governmental organizations Bantah Trump and Gegar largely proceeded peacefully and ended about two hours later.
Earlier on Sunday morning, hundreds of people gathered at Dataran Merdeka, Malaysia's independence square, to protest Trump's visit to Malaysia.
They were dissatisfied with the Trump administration's pro-Israel stance in the Gaza genocide, which has killed nearly 70,000 Palestinians, a third of whom are children.
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