The agreement, announced on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, marks a significant de-escalation between the two Southeast Asian nations and represents a major foreign policy win for the Trump administration.
"We have turned the impossible into possible," President Trump stated following the signing ceremony. "We have done something that people were calling impossible."
The peace deal comes in the wake of a fierce five-day border clash in July that resulted in 48 casualties. President Trump personally intervened through a series of phone calls to mediate the tensions, culminating in the signing by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.
A key immediate outcome of the agreement is Thailand's commitment to release 18 Cambodian troops who were detained during the recent hostilities. PM Charnvirakul emphasized that the pact is a crucial step towards lasting peace and strengthened bilateral relations.
President Trump's arrival in Malaysia was itself a spectacle. Upon landing at Kuala Lumpur airport, he was welcomed on the red carpet by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. In a moment that captivated media attention, the US President briefly joined local artists in a traditional dance performance.
Linking diplomacy directly to economic interests, President Trump also revealed that the United States is preparing to sign major economic agreements with both nations.
"We are finalising a major trade deal with Cambodia and a mineral deal with Thailand," he announced, underscoring that strong US trade and cooperation are contingent on sustained peace.
This development at the ASEAN Summit, which gathers leaders from the 10-member bloc to discuss themes of "Inclusivity and Sustainability," signals a potent mix of high-stakes diplomacy and economic strategy, with the US playing a central role in shaping regional stability.
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