The AgendaGeopolitics
49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits
Southeast Asian leaders meet in Manila, with Donald Trump confirmed and a region-wide digital economy pact on the table.
Until it begins
- 06
- Days
Time to be confirmed
What it is
The Philippines, which chairs ASEAN in 2026, hosts the 49th ASEAN Summit and its summits with partner countries from November 15 to 17 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City, Metro Manila. The Philippine presidency has confirmed that US President Donald Trump will attend, and the related meetings include the East Asia Summit and an ASEAN-US leaders' summit.
Why it matters
Officials expect the summit to deliver the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), which Manila describes as the world's first binding region-wide deal on the digital economy, and to advance the ASEAN Power Grid so members can trade electricity across borders. The bloc sits astride the shipping lanes and supply chains at the heart of US-China rivalry, and the meeting comes days before APEC leaders gather in Shenzhen.
What to watch
- 01
Whether leaders sign the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA)
- 02
What Trump offers or demands on trade and tariffs at the ASEAN-US summit
- 03
Language on the South China Sea in the chair's statement
- 04
Concrete steps on the ASEAN Power Grid and energy security
