What is ASEAN and where does it stand on the global stage?

The 10-member state ASEAN bloc, chaired by Malaysia this year, also consists of the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, and Myanmar.

The bloc will welcome East Timor as its newest member at the meeting, and canvas issues ranging from trade to global conflicts.

Here is what to expect at the meeting:

TRUMP, WORLD LEADERS TO ATTEND

Trump is scheduled to travel to Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN leaders' meeting that begins on Sunday (October 26), before travelling to Japan and then South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum from October 31-November 1.

Trump, who also attended an ASEAN meeting in 2017, will be joined by some top officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

Other attendees include Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Japan's new premier Sanae Takaichi, as well as top officials from South Korea and Russia.

US-CHINA TRADE TALKS

Bessent and Greer were expected in Malaysia ahead of Trump's visit to meet Chinese officials to defuse tensions over China's rare earth export curbs, as Washington prepared to hit Beijing with fresh trade measures if a deal is not reached.

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, Beijing's top economic official, is set to meet Bessent and Greer in Malaysia for trade talks on October 24 to 27, China's commerce ministry said.

Trade tensions between the world's two biggest economies have flared in recent weeks after months of relative calm, threatening to derail an expected meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea next week.

THAI-CAMBODIA TRUCE

At the summit, Thailand and Cambodia are expected to sign a broader ceasefire agreement for their border dispute following a deadly five-day conflict in July.

Malaysian premier Anwar Ibrahim and Trump - whose telephone calls broke a deadlock in efforts to end the clashes - helped broker an initial ceasefire on July 28, prompting Cambodia to nominate the U.S. president for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Malaysia's foreign minister said Trump is "looking forward" to witnessing a signing ceremony during the ASEAN meeting.

RCEP SUMMIT

Malaysia will hold a leaders' summit of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership - the first for the bloc since it agreed to an initial trade deal in 2020 - where the grouping will consider adding new members and discuss ways to improve trade flows.

The RCEP, which includes all 10 ASEAN members as well as China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, is the world’s largest trading bloc, covering nearly a third of the global population and about 30% of global gross domestic product.

The bloc is seen by some analysts as a potential buffer against tariffs imposed by the United States, though its provisions are considered weaker than some other regional trade deals due to competing interests among its members.

EAST TIMOR ACCESSION

ASEAN will formally admit East Timor as its 11th member on October 26, ending an accession process that first began more than a decade ago.