US Tariffs Loom Over Asia Summit as Ties With China Strengthen

Southeast Asian leaders start two days of talks from Monday, seeking to deepen ties with China and Gulf nations, and mitigate the fallout from US President Donald Trump’s tariff hikes.

Trade and economic cooperation will likely dominate the agenda of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit taking place in Kuala Lumpur, along with conflicts in Gaza and Myanmar.

ASEAN leaders at the 46th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur on May 26.

Photographer: Samsul Said/Bloomberg

While the first of the two Asean summits held annually is usually reserved for Southeast Asian leaders, China is sending its No. 2 official, Premier Li Qiang. The leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council nations, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, ...