APEC and ASEAN summits focus on AI, trade and security

APEC and ASEAN meetings in Asia are set to focus on trade, artificial intelligence, security and a possible meeting involving Xi Jinping, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations opens its final leaders' summit of the year on Sunday in Manila, while French President Emmanuel Macron attends a Francophonie summit in Phnom Penh. Attention then shifts to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference in Shenzhen.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to be a key figure at APEC. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due at the ASEAN meeting, while US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are set to travel to both.

A proposed Xi-Trump-Putin meeting at APEC is expected to draw attention, though its agenda remains unclear. Putin has pushed for talks on Ukraine, while Trump this week suggested the focus would be on denuclearisation and ending the war in Iran. Analysts quoted by AFP said expectations for major results should remain limited.

AI is also expected to feature after Xi and Trump agreed in September to set up a communication channel for AI incidents. Xi said Washington and Beijing had a responsibility to develop and manage AI for good and keep it under human control, while Trump has repeatedly dismissed fears that AI could threaten humanity.

In Manila, the Philippines appears unlikely to secure one of its main goals as ASEAN chair: a South China Sea Code of Conduct with China. A Southeast Asian diplomat involved in summit preparations said he did not see an agreement being reached.

Trade will be a major topic at both ASEAN and APEC. A pause in the China-US trade war was extended through January 10 during Xi's September visit to the White House, but friction remains over Chinese rare-earth exports. Economist Harry Murphy Cruise of Oxford Economics said major changes to US trade policy were not expected for now.