Malaysia takes centre stage as global, regional leaders gather for ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur
US President Donald Trump, among leaders from South Africa, Brazil, South Korea, China, and Italy attending the three-day summit starting from Sunday.
World and regional leaders are converging in Kuala Lumpur for the 47th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), currently chaired by Malaysia.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will host leaders from ASEAN member states, along with top officials from the US, China, Japan, South Korea and other key partners, for the three-day summit under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability.”
More than 10,000 police officers have been deployed to the Malaysian capital to secure the meetings, which begin on Sunday and run through Tuesday.
Who are the participants?
US President Donald Trump will attend a dinner with ASEAN leaders and witness the signing of a Cambodia–Thailand peace accord, following deadly border clashes resolved through Anwar’s mediation.
Leaders from South Africa, Brazil, South Korea, China, Japan, Australia, Canada and New Zealand are also participating, alongside ASEAN members including Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Timor-Leste, which is set to become the bloc’s 11th member.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, World Bank and IMF officials, and European Council President Antonio Costa are among the attendees, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join virtually.
Russia is represented by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, with President Vladimir Putin and Myanmar’s junta excluded from the summit since the February 2021 coup.
ASEAN will also hold talks with key partners, including the US, China and Japan.
ASEAN foreign ministers convene
The foreign ministers’ meeting of ASEAN convened in the Malaysian capital on Saturday, ahead of the bloc’s three-day summit.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said in his opening speech that in the eyes of the international community, ASEAN has “stood as a beacon of neutrality, and a safe harbour, amid geopolitical turbulence,” according to a statement from the ministry.
“Regardless of the uncertainties and the great power rivalries... this region has remained steadfast and productive,” he said.
Key points
Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan emphasised ASEAN’s efforts to diversify partnerships, expanding ties with India, Australia, the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
He praised Thailand and Cambodia for resolving their July border conflict through diplomacy and urged “determination and active engagement” in addressing the crisis in Myanmar, warning that unresolved instability could spill across borders.
On the South China Sea, Mohamad called for “open, but firm and consolidated engagement,” reaffirming Malaysia’s support for advancing a Code of Conduct in the region. He said ASEAN “must continue to act as the speakers, and not the spoken for.”
Turning to global issues, he urged attention to “the unspeakable suffering” of Palestinians in Gaza, saying ASEAN cannot “turn a blind eye to conflicts beyond our waters.”
On the ongoing conflict in Myanmar, he said the “road ahead must be guided by determination and active engagement,” warning that “if the crisis is left unresolved, numerous internal issues will spill across borders.”
Timor-Leste formally acceded to the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) ahead of its full membership, which will be granted during the summit.
Finland’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia will raise the total number of High Contracting Parties to 58, he said.
Ministers and senior officials from all member states, as well as Timor-Leste and the ASEAN Secretariat, attended the meeting.
Tariffs, trade
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar, who is hosting the summit, has expressed expectations that the ASEAN meetings will result in “positive” outcomes, with Trump’s tariffs on US allies and foes being a central topic.
On regional trade, Anwar has emphasised the importance of the world’s largest trade deal — the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) — which includes China, as it covers nearly one-third of global GDP and trade.
He has expressed Malaysia’s hopes to expand RCEP membership and explore ways to enhance trade.
The plight of one of the world’s most persecuted communities, the Rohingya in Myanmar, which is witnessing internal ethnic strife, will also be on the agenda alongside possible discussions regarding the tensions in the disputed South China Sea.
ASEAN is additionally expected to issue a statement on the situation in Palestine’s Gaza, where a ceasefire between Israeli forces and Hamas has been in place since October 10.