ASEAN Summit Set to Host World Leaders Amid U.S.–China Trade Tensions.

The block of Southeast Asian nations will host world leaders at a summit this weekend that will run alongside pivotal trade talks between the United States and China and serve as the first stop for U.S. President Donald Trump’s swing through Asia.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations will press for trade multilateralism and deeper ties with new partners.

Trump will be in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday to begin a five-day trip through Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea, aimed at strengthening his diplomatic credentials, as U.S. and Chinese officials work to avert a trade war escalation ahead of his planned meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping in South Korea next week.