Southeast Asian leaders snub US meeting after Trump skips Asean

BANGKOK: Several Southeast Asian leaders snubbed a meeting with US officials on Monday after President Donald Trump decided not to attend a regional summit in Bangkok.

Just three leaders from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) showed up to the session, along with a host of foreign ministers.

Trump has been accused of turning his back on Asian allies for pulling out of a major trade pact, as fellow superpower China pursues its own deals and investment projects in the region.

US did not send top officials to the weekend Asean summit, instead dispatching commerce secretary Wilbur Ross and national security adviser Robert O’Brien.

Monday’s sparsely attended address from O’Brien stood in contrast to earlier Asean meetings, which had all been attended by most heads of state. “It’s not appropriate for Asean to send leaders when the US representation is not on parity,” one diplomat in Bangkok said.

Another diplomat said: “It’s not a boycott, it’s just that other leaders have other meetings to attend to.”

In lieu of Trump’s physical presence, O’Brien read a letter from the president inviting “the leaders of Asean to join me in the United States for a special summit” next year.

In attendance were the prime minister of Thailand, which is hosting the summit, along with the leaders of Laos and Vietnam, which is next year’s ASEAN chair.

JUST THREE LEADERS FROM THE 10-MEMBER ASEAN SHOWED UP TO A MEETING WITH US OFFICIALS.