The diplomatic stretch includes the ASEAN summit in Manila, a Francophonie gathering in Phnom Penh, and the APEC conference in Shenzhen. Leaders such as Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Xi Jinping plan to engage on regional security, denuclearisation, and artificial intelligence safeguards. However, recent friction between Philippine and Chinese sailors and an espionage controversy surrounding Nvidia chief Jensen Huang risk overshadowing potential diplomatic breakthroughs.
Key points
The ASEAN summit is expected to fall short of securing a long-sought South China Sea Code…: The ASEAN summit is expected to fall short of securing a long-sought South China Sea Code of Conduct due to ongoing island militarisation.
Bilateral cooperation on artificial intelligence safeguards remains precarious despite a…: Bilateral cooperation on artificial intelligence safeguards remains precarious despite a September agreement between the United States and China to open communication channels.
Competing agendas on Ukraine, Iran, and maritime sovereignty threaten to limit the tangib…: Competing agendas on Ukraine, Iran, and maritime sovereignty threaten to limit the tangible outcomes of this intensive diplomatic tour.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
ASEAN is set to open its final leaders summit of the year on Sunday (Nov 15), with India's Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump expected to attend.
MANILA: Global leaders are set to descend on Asia for a series of high-stakes meetings that will tackle everything from AI to trade to, potentially, nuclear disarmament.
AFP looks at a few of the key issues to watch for in the days ahead:
Three summits, five days
The 11-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) opens its final leaders' summit of the year on Sunday (Nov 15) in Manila, while French President Emmanuel Macron attends a Francophonie summit in Phnom Penh.
Focus then shifts north for the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference in Shenzhen.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to be a key figure at APEC, while India's Narendra Modi will be attending the ASEAN meet.
US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to both.
Analysts told AFP that the bruising midterm election defeat Trump recently suffered will not appreciably change how the US president…
Co-organised alongside the National Trades Union Congress, this long-running community initiative provides disadvantaged students with vital learning materials for the upcoming academic year. Since its inception in 1982, the project has distributed over seven million textbooks to nearly 300,000 beneficiaries. Donated books must adhere to Ministry of Education guidelines to ensure direct educational relevance.
Speaking to delegates at the international COP31 climate conference on Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called for financial accountability regarding the fallout from foreign military actions. He tied the resolution of these damages directly to broader international climate goals. Pezeshkian emphasized that mitigating the environmental destruction caused by foreign strikes is deeply connected to global strategies against climate change.
Clashes between Saudi-backed government troops and Houthi forces have flared across multiple governorates, compounded by long-range cross-border aerial attacks into Saudi Arabia. Conflicting claims over targeted sites follow coalition reports of intercepted drones and missiles near key cities and religious centers. Meanwhile, the rapid surge in violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians and severely strained deteriorating medical infrastructure.