The United States announced finalized trade deals Sunday with two Southeast Asian nations — Cambodia and Malaysia — that contain provisions aimed against China, and further progress with two others in the region, Thailand and Vietnam.
The news came as President Donald Trump was in Malaysia for a regional leaders summit, and just days before Trump is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The fast-growing Southeast Asia region is a crucial trading partner for both China and the United States and is caught in the middle of trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies — as evidenced by some terms of the new pacts.
“The United States is for you, committed to a free and open and thriving Indo-Pacific,” Trump said during a signing ceremony, adding that the purpose of his trip is a “mission of friendship and goodwill” and to deepen economic and security ties with the region.
