Donald Trump has a message to send. “The United States supports the countries of Southeast Asia 100%.” A phrase that summarizes the new line defended by the American president in this crucial region. This tour marks a return both symbolic and political: that of a leader who wants to redefine his influence internationally. From the Middle East to Ukraine, passing through Asia-Pacific, the American president once again shows himself as the man of vigorous negotiations.
That is also why the first issue he decided to address was the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, after the border clashes this summer. Trump claims to have “stopped the conflict” and pressured the two countries to sign a peace declaration at the summit. A statement born under the sign of his favorite method: the economic threat.
Bilateral agreements according to the Trump method
The same recipe for bilateral negotiations with the Asean countries. Objective: seal new agreements by placing the United States at the center of the regional game. Trade pressure remains an extraordinarily powerful lever for Donald Trump: Malaysia, for example, was encouraged to invest $70 billion in the United States over ten years in exchange for lower customs tariffs. For Washington, it is less about simple trade and more about anchoring strategic interdependence.
At the center of this diplomatic offensive, a key issue: rare earths, essential for technological production chains. China dominates the sector, controls extraction and refining, and does not hesitate to turn off the tap whenever it pleases. Therefore, the United States must at all costs obtain new supplies through Southeast Asia, whose soil is full of these critical resources. These future agreements aim to create an integrated network of partners: technology transfers, common strategic frameworks and a stated ambition: reducing American dependence on Beijing.
A message addressed to Xi Jinping
Donald Trump’s presence at the ASEAN summit is also a clear message for Xi Jinping: the United States is back in this region and they do not plan to leave it in the hands of China. In a region where Beijing is increasingly aggressive – particularly in the South China Sea, an area that is both strategic and resource-rich – Washington wants to curb Chinese expansion and reaffirm its role as a dominant power.
All of Donald Trump’s speeches and actions in the coming days will serve a single objective: establishing a favorable balance of power in Washington before meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Source: BFM TV
