Trump kicks off Asia tour with trade deals and ceasefire agreement

US President Donald Trump began his Asia tour in Malaysia, where he co-signed a ceasefire agreement between Cambodia and Thailand and announced new trade deals for both nations.

He also inked a trade and minerals deal with Malaysia and moved to mend fences with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Trump expressed confidence in reaching a "great" trade deal with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during their upcoming meeting in South Korea, aimed at resolving the ongoing trade war.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that tariffs will be averted and a tentative deal has been reached to delay rare earths curbs and resume US soybean exports.

China's vice commerce minister Li Chenggang stated that a "preliminary consensus" had been reached ahead of the leaders' meeting.

Trump also indicated openness to meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for the first time since 2019, though this is not officially scheduled.

Host nations, including Malaysia and Japan, are preparing to welcome Trump, seeking to secure favorable trade and security agreements.