(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump made his return to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit on Sunday, marking his first appearance at the regional gathering since attending the 2017 conference in the Philippines.

The 47th ASEAN summit, held in Kuala Lumpur, brought Trump together with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who served as host, along with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and additional leaders from across the region. The officials posed for a traditional family photograph at the event.

This marks the 13th time American and ASEAN leadership have convened for such a summit. The last in-person US presidential attendance came in 2022, when former President Joe Biden participated in Indonesia's hosted gathering.

The regional bloc, established in Bangkok on August 8, 1967, comprises ten member nations: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. At this year's summit, leaders formally welcomed Timor-Leste as the organization's 11th member—the first membership expansion the bloc has seen in over a quarter-century.

Trump's attendance in Malaysia represents the first stop on a three-nation Asian diplomatic tour. Following the summit, the president will head to Japan for discussions with newly appointed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, before concluding his trip in South Korea, where a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled.

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