KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 (Bernama) – United States (US) President Donald Trump has confirmed his attendance at the 47th ASEAN Summit, scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur this October.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the presentation of the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) in Parliament today.
The confirmation follows an official invitation extended to Trump via US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during his courtesy call at the Prime Minister’s Office on July 10.
“I would like to inform the House that at 6.50 a.m., I had the opportunity to speak with President Trump over the phone.
“He expressed his deep appreciation for Malaysia’s effective and commendable role in helping to resolve the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia,” he said.
The conversation also touched on trade issues, including tariffs and ongoing negotiations between the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) and the United States Trade Representative as well as the US Secretary of Commerce.
“Following my explanation, he has decided to review the tariff rates imposed on Malaysia by tomorrow at the latest,” Anwar said.
Rubio, who was in Kuala Lumpur in July to attend the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) under Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN 2025, said the Washington administration was working to finalise a suitable date for Trump’s visit to Malaysia.
The 13th ASEAN-US Summit is also scheduled to take place in conjunction with the 47th ASEAN Summit.
The last time a US president attended the summit in Kuala Lumpur was in November 2015, when former President Barack Obama was present.
— BERNAMA