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The 35th Asean Summit is being held in Bangkok, Thailand. RFI \ Thu Hằng

This Saturday, November 2nd opens in Bangkok, the 35th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Beijing hopes to take this opportunity to advance on the regional free trade treaty that would be a response to a trade war with Washington.

For Beijing the signing of the treaty is crucial . Engaged in a trade dispute with the United States that is losing hundreds of billions of dollars in exports, the Chinese economy is seeking a new lease of life. The agreement would open new markets.

But this expansion worries many countries, including India. A partner country of Asean, like China, India is worried about the possible arrival on its soil of cheap products made in China.

Launched in 2012, but struggling to move forward, the Regional Integrated Economic Partnership , if signed, would become the largest free trade area in the world, bringing together nearly half of the world's population.

Yet Donald Trump, will not be present. The US president has dispatched his trade secretary, Wilbur Ross, who is expected to attend the Indo-Pacific Economic Forum on Monday in the margins of the summit.

Two other hot topics should be discussed in Bangkok: tensions in the South China Sea and repatriation to Burma of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims. They fled to Bangladesh two years ago and face persecution on their way home.