In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a significant ceasefire agreement was finalized on Sunday between Thailand and Cambodia, witnessed by U.S. President Donald Trump. His economic warnings earlier this year had urged both nations to cease their border conflicts.

As part of this initial agreement, Thailand will free Cambodian detainees, while Cambodia commits to withdrawing its heavy artillery. The situation will be closely monitored by regional observers to prevent any resurgence of hostilities.

Trump expressed pride in the achievement, stating, “We accomplished what many thought was impossible.” Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet hailed it as a “historic day,” while Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul emphasized that the agreement lays the “foundation for lasting peace.”

The signing ceremony marked Trump’s first engagement at the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, held in Kuala Lumpur. This trip, which includes stops in Japan and South Korea and a possible meeting with China’s Xi Jinping, offers Trump a platform to enhance his international reputation as a dealmaker amidst domestic challenges like tariffs impacting the global economy and disputes with Democrats over a government shutdown.

Arriving in Malaysia just before 0200 GMT, Trump was welcomed with traditional performances, during which he displayed both an American and a Malaysian flag, showcasing a symbolic gesture of bilateral goodwill.

The president signed economic agreements with Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia, some of them aimed at increasing trade involving critical minerals. The U.S. wants to rely less on China, which has limited exports of key components in technology manufacturing.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said: “It’s very important that we cooperate as willing partners with each other to ensure that we can have smooth supply chains, secure supply chains, for the quality of life, for our people and security.”

Trump is reengaging with a key region of the world

The president attended this summit only once during his first term, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seemed unfamiliar with ASEAN during his confirmation hearing in January.

But this year’s event offered a fresh opportunity for Trump to play global peacemaker.

Thailand and Cambodia fought for five days in July, killing dozens and displacing hundreds of thousands of people, some of the worst modern fighting between the two countries. The two countries have competing territorial claims, and violence periodically flares along their border.

Trump threatened, at the time, to withhold trade agreements unless the fighting stopped in a display of economic leverage credited with spurring negotiations. A shaky truce has persisted since then.

“The fact that Trump was holding the tariff card was actually very, very significant,” said Ou Virak, president of Phnom Penh’s Future Forum think tank. “That’s probably the main reason, if not the only reason, but definitely the main reason why the two sides agreed immediately to the ceasefire.”

Now, he said, “there’s a ceremony for Trump to be in front of cameras” so he can be “seen as the champion that brings an end to wars and conflicts,” giving him ”more ammunition for his bid for Nobel Peace Prize.”

Trump has explicitly campaigned for the honor, continuously adding to a list of conflicts that he either helped resolve or claims to have ended.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim praised the agreement between Thailand and Cambodia during opening remarks at the summit, saying, “it reminds us that reconciliation is not concession, but an act of courage.”

Thai foreign ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura described the deal on Saturday as a “joint declaration” that will show Thailand and Cambodia “are committed to renewing their relations.”

“It’s not an end in itself,” Nikorndej said. “Work has just begun.”

Tariffs are in focus on Trump’s trip

Trump is expected to sit down with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva while he’s in Kuala Lumpur, but not Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The U.S. leader is angry with Canada because of a television ad protesting his tariffs, and on his way to the summit, announced on social media he would hike tariffs on Canada because of it.

Another trade war is front and center on Trump’s trip this one, with China. Trump told reporters traveling with him on Air Force One that he was optimistic his meeting with Xi, expected to take place in South Korea, could yield progress on a range of issues. Fentanyl trafficking and soybean sales are among Trump’s priorities.

“I think we have a really good chance of making a very comprehensive deal,” Trump said. “I want our farmers to be taken care of. And he wants things also.”

Details about Trump’s agreements have been characteristically scarce, even after he departed Washington. It remains to be seen whether Trump’s dealmaking addresses longstanding issues or puts them off for another day.

He expressed confidence about the prospect of finalizing trade agreements with Japan and South Korea, two longstanding allies and trading partners, during the trip.

“We have deals with a lot of people and they’re very good deals,” Trump told reporters traveling with him on Air Force One.

One leader who will be absent from the summit in Kuala Lumpur is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Although he was close with Trump during his first term, the relationship has been more tense lately. Trump caused irritation by boasting that he settled a recent conflict between India and Pakistan, and he has increased tariffs on India for its purchase of Russian oil.

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Associated Press writer Jintamas Saksornchai in Bangkok contributed to this report.