Trump invites ASEAN leaders to US meet after skipping summit

President Donald Trump has invited Souast Asian leers to a “special summit” in United States early next year after skipping ir ongoing annual summit in Thailand.

Robert O’Brien, national security viser Trump sent in his ste, included invitation in a letter from Trump that he re at a U.S.-ASEAN meeting on Monday on sidelines of summit of 10-nation Association of Souast Asian Nations.

Monday’s meeting with U.S. would rmally would be attended by presidents or prime ministers. In a pointed herence to diplomatic protocol, seven of 10 Souast Asian countries sent ir foreign ministers inste.

Only host Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-cha of Thailand and prime ministers of Vietnam and Laos joined O’Brien and foreign ministers sent by or countries.

Last year, Trump sent Vice President Mike Pence to annual ASEAN summit and related meetings. This year, both he and Pence were busy campaigning during meetings, wrapping up Monday in outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand’s capital.

Trump’s absence from meetings left plenty of room for China and or regional powers to raise ir own profiles.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among leers who met with ir ASEAN counterparts during summit.

In dition to O’Brien, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross also traveled to Bangkok with a tre mission that is touring region.

Despite apparent downgring of ASEAN garing by Trump, U.S. businesses and government were seeking to emphasize American commitment to region with a privately-led conference attended by about 1,000 business and government officials.

re, Ross outlined a slew of figures on tre and investment between U.S. and what Washington has dubbed “Indo-Pacific region.”

“ Trump ministration is extremely engd in and fully committed to this region,” Ross told meeting.

In his own comments at meeting with ASEAN leers, O’Brien me a swipe at China, saying Beijing “has used intimidation to try to stop ASEAN nations from exploiting ir offshore resources, blocking access to $2.5 trillion in oil and gas reserves alone. se tactics go against rules of respect, fairness and international law.”

“ region has interest in a new imperial era where a big country can rule ors on ory that might makes right. America is helping our ASEAN friends uphold ir sovereignty,” he said.

ASEAN members include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Toger, y comprise a fast-growing regional market of nearly 650 million people.