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US President Donald Trump’s planned meeting with Quad leaders during his Asia trip could strengthen Washington’s relationship with India and reinforce its diplomatic position ahead of discussions with China, former diplomats and experts said.
The meeting will bring together leaders of the United States, India, Japan and Australia. It will mark the first Quad leaders’ summit under the current Trump administration, Edgard Kagan, former US ambassador to Malaysia and Freeman Chair in China Studies at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), told reporters.
Kagan said the absence of a leaders’ meeting had disappointed partners and coincided with tensions between Washington and New Delhi. He described the planned gathering as an important step towards rebuilding bilateral ties.
Edgard Kagan added that meeting Quad partners before travelling to China would remind Chinese President Xi Jinping of Washington’s strong regional partnerships.
Trump’s wider Asia tour will include engagements linked to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
Experts expect trade agreements and commercial cooperation to feature prominently.
Victor Cha of CSIS said Trump’s Southeast Asian visit would focus on trade deals, including a possible initiative promoting US AI technology in ASEAN countries.
Gregory Poling said details of Trump’s engagement with ASEAN remained unclear.
Regarding China, experts expected Trump’s APEC meeting with Xi Jinping to be largely ceremonial, with substantive talks likely in Miami three weeks later.
The discussions could cover trade, AI safety and China’s rare earth export commitments.
Kagan stressed that Beijing must honour its commitments despite the trade truce.
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