US President Trump to Attend ASEAN Summit in the Philippines Before China Trip

U.S. President Donald Trump will travel to the Philippines to participate in the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit prior to a scheduled visit to China next month.

The Philippine presidential office announced on the 14th local time that President Trump's attendance in Manila is confirmed. Claire Castro, a spokesperson for the office, shared the news during a press conference. The 49th ASEAN Summit and related events are scheduled from November 16 to 18 in the Philippines, which serves as this year's ASEAN chair country. This trip marks President Trump's first visit to the Philippines in nine years, following his participation in the 2017 summit. A U.S. official reported to the New York Post that Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos invited President Trump to visit.

Following the ASEAN event, President Trump plans to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen, China, from November 18 to 19. Last October, President Trump attended consecutive summits in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Gyeongju, South Korea, to sustain U.S. influence in Asia. ASEAN comprises 11 member states: the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Timor-Leste.