President Trump is expected to attend the ASEAN summit in Manila, which runs November 15 to 17, and urge Southeast Asian countries to join Pax Silica and its AI Spark programme for the region, with several agreements expected to be announced during the summit, including Indonesia joining Pax Silica. Pax Silica is an AI supply chain consultative body launched in December 2025 under US State Department leadership to reduce dependence on China, with 26 member countries including South Korea, Japan, Australia, India and Singapore, and AI Spark provides funding and technical support to countries that adopt US made AI systems in public services. Trump is scheduled to arrive in the Philippines on November 17, shortly before the summit closes with an ASEAN and US special summit, hold bilateral talks with President Ferdinand Marcos on November 18, and then travel to Shenzhen for the APEC summit, and unnamed sources also expected him to raise the South China Sea.
Trump expected to press ASEAN to join Pax Silica
President Trump is expected to urge Southeast Asian countries to join Pax Silica, the US led AI supply chain body, at the ASEAN summit in Manila, with Indonesia's membership among several agreements expected to be announced.
Why it matters: Pax Silica is Washington's vehicle for building an AI and critical minerals supply chain that reduces dependence on China, and ASEAN membership would extend that bloc into the region where much of the contest over chips and minerals will be decided.
Data as of Yonhap News Agency dispatch of November 14, 2026, in Korean, read in full via the estate browser route. Yonhap was reporting the South China Morning Post's report of the same day, which rested on unnamed sources: the push, and Indonesia's expected membership, are reported expectations ahead of the summit, not announced agreements. Developing item.
Sources
- Trump, at ASEAN summit, likely to urge participation in 'Pax Silica' (in Korean) - Yonhap News Agency, reporting the South China Morning Post - 2026-11-14