MALAYSIA’S relationship with the new US administration under President Donald Trump is off to a good start with trade deals in the wings and a promise to work together in counter-terrorism.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak says his official visit to the United States was part of efforts to make Malaysia a top 20 nation by 2050.

The US government is appreciative of Malaysia being a moderate country and its stance on the fight against terror. However, there is still that cautious optimism in the air due to Trump’s unpredictability.

With the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement in limbo, Asean's Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership has come to the fore. But a lot more needs doing before it comes to be.

PETALING JAYA: Negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Eco­nomic Partnership (RCEP) between Asean and six of its dialogue partners are on track to meet its target conclusion by the end of this year.

PETALING JAYA: With the new US Trade Representative confirming the United States will not return to the Trans-Pacific Part­nership Agreement (TPPA), the other 11 members of the trade deal are scrambling to save it.

PETALING JAYA: Senior Asean and Chinese officials made “headway” yesterday when they completed negotiations on the draft framework on the Code of Conduct (CoC) in the contested South China Sea.

Malaysia proposes a scorecard for Asean countries to reduce rising number of trade barriers but it will be tough to implement.

ASEAN plans to implement a scorecard to monitor each member’s efforts to reduce trade barriers which have increased significantly and are hampering efforts to integrate the 10 economies.

Asean leaders are worried that the rest of Asia will be the first to be hit and suffer from the fallout from a potential nuclear war if the current tension in the Korean peninsula is not contained.

ASEAN still has a long way towards integrating its 10 economies due to a high number of trade barriers in the grouping.

The framework of the code of conduct (CoC) in South China Sea being finalised by Asean and China may be adopted next month when se­nior officials meet. But concerns remain on “developments” still taking place in the hotly contested maritime area.