US lawmakers urge Trump to attend key Indo-Pacific summits and send clear message to China
Trump’s participation in summits would be a powerful response to Beijing’s diplomatic campaign in region, Congress members argue in letter
A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has urged US President Donald Trump to personally attend three major Indo-Pacific summits this fall, warning that his absence could hand China a strategic advantage as Beijing aggressively expands its influence across the region.
In a letter released on Friday, members of Congress stressed that the Indo-Pacific region remains “vital to America’s security and prosperity”, and is at the centre of “strategic competition” with China.
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Earlier this month, Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan announced that Trump will visit his country and witness a ceasefire deal between Southeast Asian neighbours Thailand and Cambodia, which he helped broker.